UC-NRLF 


THE 

ARMY  AND  NAVY 


OF 


AMERICA: 


CONTAINING 

A  VIEW  OF  THE  HEROIC  ADVENTURES,  BATTLES,  NAVAL  ENGAGE 
MENTS,  REMARKABLE  INCIDENTS,  AND  GLORIOUS  ACHIEVE 
MENTS  IN  THE  CAUSE  OF  FREEDOM, 

FROM  THK   PERIOD    OF 

THE  FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WARS  TO  THE 
CLOSE  OF  THE  MEXICAN  WAR; 

INDEPENDENT   OF  AN  ACCOUNT  OP 

WARLIKE  OPERATIONS  ON  LAND  AND  SEA; 

ENLIVENED   BY  A  VARIETY  OF  THE  MOST 

INTERESTING  ANECDOTES; 

AND 

EMBELLISHED  WITH  ENGRAVINGS. 
BY  JACOB  K.  NEFF,  M.D. 

"Concordia  res  parvse  crescunt,  discordii  maxima  dilabuntur." 


LANCASTER,    PA.: 

JOHN   H.  PEAESOL. 

1853. 


Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1849,  by 
G.   HILLS, 

in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 
Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


3.  PAGAN,  rHILADELPEIA. 


PRJNTBD  BY  J.  B.  TEAKSOL,  LAHC1STEK. 


PEE  FACE. 


THE  T?oik  now  piesenled  to  the  public  is  one  of  a  peculiar  character,  and 
the  only  one  that  gives  the  reader  a  good  idea  of  the  battles  fought  in  our 
country,  unless  he  searches  for  a  description  of  them  through  prosy  and 
ponderous  volumes.  Too  much  space  has  hitherto  been  devoted  to  legisla 
tive  proceedings,  and  too  little  to  the  battles.  Nor  is  this  all.  The  various 
military  operations  are  mixed  together  in  inextricable  confusion  in  our  ordi 
nary  histories,  the  same  chapter  often  containing  a  number  of  battles.  We 
have  corrected  this,  and  made  a  chapter  of  every  battle,  to  set  it  forth 
clearly  and  distinctly,  connecting  only  those  extended  operations,  that  were 
intended  to  aid  each  other. 

PART  I. — Contains  the  nature  of  campaigns — the  advance — the  retreat — 
the  encampment  of  armies — together  with  the  plans  of  battles ;  military 
maxims,  from  the  great  generals  of  every  age  and  country,  illustrated  by 
their  own  battles ;  \vith  all  the  manoeuvres  of  fleets,  and  war  at  sea.  This 
part  prepares  the  reader  to  understand  warlike  operations  on  land  and  sea ;  a 
kind  of  information,  the  want  of  which  every  reader  of  ordinary  history 
must  have  felt.  Such  an  arrangement  has  never  been  attempted  before,  and 
in  this,  especially,  our  work  differs  from  all  others ;  we  hope  to  the  advan 
tage  of  the  reader. 

PART  II. — Gives  an  account  of  the  battles  of  the  French  and  Indian 
wars,  which  were  ef  the  greatest  importance  to  our  fathers.  It  was  a 
struggle  between  France  and  England  as  to  which  government  should  rule 
the  American  continent.  To  our  fathers  it  was  important,  not  only  because 
it  would  decide  whether  they  should  be  ruled  by  the  French  or  English 
Catholics  or  Protestants,  but  it  even  decided  whether  they  should  at  al 
exist  as  a  nation.  This,  independent  of  the  interesting  nature  of  many  o 
these  forest  battles,  will  make  this  part  of  the  work  of  infinitely  greate 
importance  than  is  generally  imagined. 

Independent  of  all  this,  the  heroes  of  our  revolution  were  nearly  al 
schooled  in  this  war.  Washington  himself  received  his  first  lessons  o 


(£13971 9 


111 


IV  PREFACE. 


war  during  this  period,  and  terrible  lessons  they  were  indeed,  which  pre 
pared  him  for  those  great  achievements  which  he  performed  at  a  subse 
quent  period.  Nor  is  this  all  the  interest  this  war  possesses.  As  taxation 
was  the  cause  of  the  revolution,  so  this  war  was  the  cause  of  taxation. 

PART  III. — Contains  the  battles  of  the  revolution.  Omitting  all  the  more 
dull  proceedings  of  Congress,  and  giving  only  the  most  important,  so  as  to 
keep  up  the  historical  connection,  we  had  ample  space  to  make  the  descrip 
tion  of  all  the  battles  very  full.  These  are  interspersed  by  poetical  quota 
tions,  from  all  the  great  authors  of  ancient  and  modern  times.  We  culled 
these  flowers  from  many  a  beautiful  garden,  to  strew  them  into  the  rugged 
paths  of  war,  and  to  give  interest  and  variety  to  the  work.  This  is  a  new 
plan ;  and  if  the  reader  is  willing  to  allow  us  to  claim  any  merit  for  writing 
this  work,  we  would  ask  it  for  the  revolution. 

The  heroes  of  the  revolution  are  set  forth  in  a  more  conspicuous  light 
than  they  have  ever  before  appeared  in,  and  the  brilliant  talents  of  Wash 
ington,  often  spoken  of  too  lightly  even  by  Americans,  are  made  to  appear, 
by  giving  a  full  account  of  those  bold  and  mighty  efforts,  which  were  ulti 
mately  crowned  with  success. 

PART  IV. — The  late  war,  of  which  this  part  treats,  is  more  distinguished 
for  the  numerous  naval  victories  which  the  Americans  gained  over  the  most 
powerful  nation  that  ever  existed.  These  are  all  fully  described,  as  well 
as  the  battles  on  land,  fought  during  the  same  period. 

Severe  and  protracted  indisposition  rendered  it  necessary  for  us  to  avail 
ourselves  more  freely  of  the  labours  of  others  here  than  we  should  have 
done  if  in  health ;  but  the  selections  were  made  with  such  care,  and  from 
such  high  and  rare  authorities,  that  we  have  no  doubt  that  the  reader  will 
profit  by  this  arrangement.  We  make  this  general  acknowledgment  here, 
for  this  part  of  the  work,  to  throw  off  the  odium  of  plagiarism. 

PART  V. — Gives  a  general  account  of  the  Florida  war;  and,  by  sketches 
of  battles,  developes  the  general  character  of  this  Indian  warfare. 

PART  VI. — Presents  a  brief  account  of  the  revolution  in,  and  annexation 
of  Texas ;  a  graphic  description  of  Taylor's  campaign,  from  the  landing  at 
Corpus  Christi  until  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista ;  of  Scott's  victories  from 
Vera  Cruz  to  the  City  of  Mexico ;  with  the  other  events  of  the  war. 

PART  VII. — Closes  the  work  by  a  general  description  of  the  calamities 
of  war  —  giving  examples  from  the  wars  of  ancient  and  modern  times , 
showing,  in  the  meantime,  when  war  is  just  or  tyrannical. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 
THE  ART  OF  WAR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MILITARY   MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE   OPERATIONS. 

Introductory  Remarks.  §  I.  Principle  of  Strength  in  an  Army.  II.  Plan  of 
Campaign  —  Definitions  of  Military  Terms — Importance  of  Rapidity  of  Move 
ment — Operations  of  large  Masses  on  a  single  Point.  III.  Adaptation  of  Means 
to  Circumstances — Genius  of  Napoleon.  IV.  Offensive  Operations.  V.  Con 
centration  of  separate  Forces.  VI.  Modifications  of  original  Plans.  VII.  Of 
supporting  the  Wings  of  an  Army.  VIII.  Depots.  IX.  Various  Lines  of  Ope 
rations.  X.  Configuration  of  the  Theatre  of  War — Illustrations.  XI.  Of  pass 
ive  Defence.  XII.  Fortresses.  XIII.  Advances  and  Retreats.  XIV.  Attacks  on 
both  Extremities.  XV.  Spies.  XVI.  Order  of  Battle.  XVII.  Angles  of  Of 
fence  and  Defence.  XVIII.  Oblique  Attack.  XIX.  Importance  of  constant 
Preparation.  XX.  Difficulties  of  Commander-in-Chief.  XXI.  Efficacy  of  Va 
lour  and  Discipline.  XXII.  Operations  when  inferior  in  Force.  XXIII.  Of 
acting  in  detached  Lines — Brilliant  Success  of  Napoleon.  XXIV.  Of  Flank 
Attacks.  XXV.  Importance  of  a  single  Line  of  Operations.  XXVI.  Of  Dis 
tances  between  Marching  Corps — Retreat  of  Moreau — Mountain  Campaigns. 
XXVII.  Of  disappointing  an  Enemy's  Wishes.  XXVIII.  Of  the  Importance  of 
frequent  Entrenchment — Success  of  the  Duke  of  Berwick — Of  Marshal  Turenne. 
XXIX.  Of  Courage  and  Decision  when  surprised  by  a  superior  Force — Marshal 
Turenne  and  the  Prince  de  Cond6.  XXX.  Transition  from  Defensive  to  Offen 
sive — Napoleon's  first  Campaigns  in  Italy.  XXXI.  Of  abandoning  and  chang 
ing  Line  of  Operations — Examples  of  Frederick  the  Great  and  Marshal  Turenne. 
XXXII.  Operations  with  heavy  Trains  of  Artillery,  &c.  XXXIII.  Encamping 
in  Position.  XXXIV.  Conduct  when  menaced  with  being  surrounded.  XXXV. 


VI  CONTENTS. 


Proper  Position  of  Cantonments.  XXXVI.  Dangers  in  crossing  Bridges  in 
Rear.  XXXVII.  Of  employing  separate  Corps  against  a  central  Force — Battle 
of  Hohenlinden.  XXXVIII.  Conduct  when  driven  from  first  Position — Battle 
of  Genola — Of  Milesimo.  XXXIX.  Movements  of  a  retreating  Army.  XL. 
Concentration  of  Forces  on  the  Eve  of  Battle — Defeat  of  Jourdan.  XLI.  Duty 
of  Commander  previous  to  Battle.  XLII.  Of  avoiding  a  Flank  March  before  an 
Army  in  Position— Battle  of  Kolin— Of  Rosbach.  XLIII.  Of  Prudence  in  View 
of  Battle— Resumption  of  Offensive  during  Retreat — Defeat  of  the  Austrians  at 
Marengo— At  Torgau— Battle  of  Ulm— Of  Jena— Of  Waterloo.  XLIV.  Of  the 
Advanced  Guard.  XLV.  Demosthenes  and  Phocion.  XL VI.  Disposition  of 
Artillery.  XL VII.  Conduct  of  Alexander  the  Great.  XLVIII.  Of  Intervals 
between  Corps — Defeat  of  the  Prince  of  Lorraine  by  Frederick— Of  throwing 
Forces  into  the  Intervals  of  an  Enemy's  Line.  XLIX.  Qualifications  of  a  Gene 
ral.  L.  Of  Operations  in  the  neighbourhood  of  a  River.  LI.  Of  the  Passage 
of  a  River— Prince  Eugene  and  the  Duke  of  Savoy.  LII.  Of  defending  the  Pas 
sage  of  a  River.  LIII.  of  Tites  du  Pont.  LIV.  Of  Encampments.  LV.  Of 
Sieges.  LVI.  Citadels.  LVII.  Of  surrendering  a  Fortress.  LVIII.  Of  Capitu 
lations.  LIX.  Obedience  of  Soldiers.  LX.  Union  of  Infantry,  Cavalry,  and 
Artillery.  LXI.  Mingling  of  Infantry  and  Cavalry.  LXII.  Charges  of  Cavalry. 
LXIIL  Duties  of  Cavalry.  LXIV.  Artillery.  LXV.  Batteries.  LXVI.  Treat 
ment  of  Prisoners.  LXVII.  Of  Prisoners  of  War.  LXVIII.  Qualifications  of 
General-in-chief.  LXIX.  Of  the  Staff.  LXX.  Unanimity  of  Principle  of  great 
Warriors.  LXXI.  Battle  of  Waterloo Page  9 — 76 


CHAPTER  II. 

WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA, 

Of  absolute  and  relative  Force— Line  of  Battle — Modifications  of  naval  War 
fare — Pell-mell  Actions — Various  Manoeuvres — Steam  Vessels — Naval  Tactics — 
Ordinary  Division  of  Fleets — Definitions  of  Terms — Five  Orders  of  Sailing — 
Order  of  Battle — Order  of  Retreat— Order  of  Convoy — Method  of  Forming  the 
various  Orders  of  Sailing — To  form  Line  of  Battle — To  manoeuvre  in  Line  of 
Battle — In  Fifth  Order — Of  the  Naval  Square — To  restore  the  Order  of  Battla 
on  Shifts  of  the  Wind — Circumstances  to  be  considered  in  forming  a  Fleet  for 
Action — Of  the  Weather-gage — Engagement  between  two  Ships — Preparation — 
Action — Repair — Engagement  between  two  Fleets — To  dispute  the  Weather- 
gage — To  force  an  Enemy  to  Action — To  avoid  coming  to  Action— To  Double 
an  Enemy — To  avoid  being  Doubled — Of  Chasing — Defects  of  usual  Line  of 
Battle — De  Grenier'a  Method  of  Tactics — Clerk's  Tactics — Of  firing  at  Hull  or 
Rigging— One  Ship  cannot  be  exposed  to  the  Fire  of  many — Principles  used  in 
bringing  Ships  to  Action — New  Mode  of  Attack  from  Windward — From  Lee 
ward.  .  Page  76—137 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

PART     II. 

FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR 

Page 
CHAPTER  I. — Introduction — Cause  of  the  War — Washington's  Mission, ...  138 

II. — Washington's  first  Campaign — Bravery  of  Provincials 145 

III.— Expedition  against  Fort  Du  Quesne — Braddock's  Defeat 148 

IV. — Formal  Declaration  of  War — Plan  of  Campaign 160 

V. — Expedition  against  Louisbourg — Siege  of  Fort  William  Henry.  161 
VL— Siege  of  Louisbourg — Frontignac  and  Fort  Du  Quesne  taken.  165 
VII — Defeat  of  Montcalm— Death  of  Wolfe— End  of  the  War. ...  175 

PART  III. 

THE  REVOLUTION. 


CHAPTER  I. — Cause  of  the  Revolution — Stamp  Act — Boston  Tea  Party. . ,  195 
II — Pitt's  Peace  Bill— Battle  of  Lexington— Boston  blockaded. . .  223 

III. — Preparations — Ticonderoga,  Crown  Point,  &c.,  taken 230 

IV. — Investment  of  Boston  continued— Battle  of  Breed's  Hill 235 

V. — Meeting  of  Continental  Congress — Washington  in  command.  253 
VI.— Americans  fortify  Dorchester  Heights — Boston  evacuated. . . .  272 

VII — rSiege  of  Charleston — Declaration  of  Independence 278 

VIII — Battle  of  Long  Island— Defeat  of  American  Troops 299 

IX — Capture  of  General  Lee— Defeat  of  British  at  Trenton 318 

X — Expedition  against  Danbury — Death  of  Wooster 328 

XI. — Arrival  of  Lafayette — Battle  of  Brandy  wine 330 

XII. — Philadelphia  taken — Battle  of  Germantown 346 

XIII.— Battle  of  Bennington — Of  Saratoga — Surrender  of  Burgoyne.  354 
XIV. — Attack  on  Forts  Miffiin  and  Mercer — Death  of  Count  Donop.  404 

XV — British  evacuate  Philadelphia— Battle  at  Freehold 409 

XVI. — Arrival  of  Count  D'Estaing — Attack  on  Newport 415 

XVII. — Shocking  Barbarity  of  the  Indians — Massacre  of  Wyoming. .  460 

XVIII. — Campaign  in  the  South — Savannah  taken - 427 

XIX — Piratical  Warfare  of  the  British— Putnam's  Escape 429 

XX — Storming  of  Stony  Point 431 

XXI. — Operations  against  the  Indians 434 

XXII. — Expedition  against  Charleston — Capitulation 434 

XXIII.— Battle  of  Camden— Return  of  Lafayette 447 

XXIV.— Treason  of  Arnold— Execution  of  Andre 451 

XXV. — Operations  in  the  South — Battle  of  the  Cowpens 456 

XXVI. — Battle  of  Camden — Battle  of  Eutaw  Springs ^ 458 

XXVII — Siege  of  Yorktown — Surrender  of  Cornwallis 463 


Ylll 


CONTENTS. 


PART  IV. 

THE  LATE  WAR. 

Page 
CBAPTXB  I.— Dectmr<mm  of  War  against  England — Battle  of  Tippecanoe. .  490 

II— General  Hull's  disgraceful  Surrender 498 

III..— Engagement  between  the  Constitution  and  Guerriere 499 

IV.— Invasion  of  Canada — Achievements  of  Col.  Van  Rensselaer. . .  502 

V.— Capture  of  the  Wasp  by  the  Frolic 504 

VI.— The  United  States  and  Macedonian 509 

VII.— The  Constitution  and  Java _ 524 

VIII.— Bloody  Action  at  the  River  Raisin 526 

IX. — The  Hornet  and  Peacock — Generosity  of  Americans 528 

X.— Americans  attack  York— Death  of  General  Pike 529 

XL— Loss  of  the  Chesapeake— Death  of  Lawrence 530 

XII. — Capture  of  the  United  States  Sloop  Argus 537 

XIII. — Boxer  captured  by  the  Enterprise — Cruise  of  the  President. . .  537 

XIV.— Perry's  Victory  on  Lake  Erie 539 

XV.— Maiden  taken— Battle  of  the  Thames— Death  of  Tecumseh. .  564 
XVI. — Harrison  resigns — Invasion  of  Canada — Battle  of  Chippewa. .  571 

XVII— Cruise  of  the  Essex— Captured  by  a  superior  Force 587 

XVIII — Capture  of  the  Epervier  by  the  Peacock" 589 

XIX.— Burning  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington  by  Ross „ 589 

XX, — Attack  on  Baltimore  by  Ross — Enemy  repulsed . . ...  591 

XXI, — Macdonough's  Victory  on  Lake  Champlain 592 

XXII.— Battle  of  New  Orleans— Treaty  of  Peace ... 595 

S*^/VNAlA-*w^ArfVrx/V\/vv/' 

PART  V 
TBS  FX.OMDA  WA«.  . .-..,,. - . .  ....  « ... .— ...,— . 603 

PART   VI, 

TBB  MIXICAK  W AB  .  — ...... . 

PART    VII 

To  CAIAXITIIB  ot  WA» .-  .-.  — -  -  -  674 


THE 


ARMY  AND  NAVY. 

t^*S*«Wl*«AMA*W«*««n**A/^ 

PART  I. 

WWWVWVWWWMVWW 

CHAPTER  I. 

MILITARY  MAXIMS  AND  WARLIKE  OPERATIONS. 

WAR,  in  the  hands  of  the  tyrant,  is  the  science  of  whole 
sale  murder,  plunder  and  desolation — the  science  of  defence 
in  the  hands  of  the  patriot.  The  one  employs  it  against  the 
people;  the  other,  in  their  behalf.  The  one  seeks  it  as  a 
trade ;  the  other  adopts  it  as  a  dreadful  necessity  to  avoid 
or  arrest  greater  evils.  The  one  gains  for  his  reward  the 
fears  and  curses  of  the  people;  the  other,  their  heartfelt 
applause  and  esteem. 

Aware  that  no  man  can  read  descriptions  of  battles,  or 
other  military  movements,  understandingly,  without  some 
previous  knowledge  of  the  fundamental  principles  and  max 
ims  of  war,  we  shall  endeavour  to  place  a  kind  of  information 
at  the  disposal  of  the  reader,  which  many  have  hitherto  been 
unable  to  obtain. 

We  have  always  considered  ordinary  histories  defective 

j  from  a  total  neglect  of  a  scientific  and  philosophical  account 

I  of  the  governing  principles  of  warlike  operations.    In  reading 

such  works,  we  might  almost  be  led  to  suppose  that  a  genera 

had  nothing  to  do  but  to  "  trust  in  Providence  and  keep  his 

powder  dry" — to  march  his  army  against  the  enemy  with  no 

other  thoughts  than  how  to  fight.     But  let  the  general  reader 

once  get  an  insight  into  the  mighty  projects  of  the  chief  officer 

before  and  during  his  march,  all  based  on  profound  scientific 
_  __ 


10  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


principles,  and  a  new  and  ample  field  is  opened  to  his  asto 
nished  view.  He  then  not  merely  looks  upon  a  Washington, 
a  Lafayette,  a  Schuyler  or  a  Greene,  as  a  brave  man  fighting 
with  enthusiasm  and  skill  in  the  cause  of  the  people,  with  a 
plan  confined  to  the  narrow  limits  of  the  battle-field ;  but  he 
sees  operations  developed  by  the  minds  of  great  men,  so  vast, 
so  extensive,  for  hundreds  of  miles  around,  that  he  reads 
accounts  of  their  achievements  as  mental,  as  well  as  moral 
and  physical,  victories  over  the  invading  foe.  It  is  this  great 
plan  that  constitutes  the  interest  of  the  science  of  war ;  it  is 
this  that  exhibits  the  majesty  of  mind ;  it  is  this  that,  even 
now,  may  elevate  our  veneration  for  the  living,  and  reverence 
for  the  dead,  heroes  of  our  army  and  navy — that  may  exalt 
their  merits  still  higher  in  the  estimation  of  the  American 
people ;  it  is  this  that  gives  defensive  war,  in  the  hands  of 
men  engaged  in  a  just  cause,  a  dignity  that  God  himself,  in 
his  providence,  has  smiled  upon  it,  when  our  fathers  struggled 
for  the  rights  of  man. 

In  laying  down  the  fundamental  principles  of  war  in  this 
chapter,  we  shall  avail  ourselves  of  the  information  of  the 
very  best  authorities  now  extant,  to  draw  rich  stores  of  know 
ledge  from  the  latest  English,  French  and  German  works, 
which  it  was  heretofore  impossible  to  obtain  without  much 
labour  or  expense. 

If  it  should  be  asked  why  we  obtain  much  of  our  informa 
tion  from  European  works,  let  it  be  remembered  that  we  owe 
our  tactics  to  Europe,  and  that  it  was  against  European  tac 
tics  that  our  heroes  had  to  exercise  their  powers.  It  was  not 
so  much  the  possession  of  superior  tactics  on  the  part  of  the 
Americans  that  crowned  their  efforts  with  victory,  as  the 
superior  application  of  them  to  practice.  Many  of  our  illus 
trations  of  principles  are  taken  from  foreign  wars,  but  they 
are  merely  to  develope  principles,  as  carried  out  by  various 
distinguished  chief  commanders  of  ancient  and  modern  times, 
under  different  circumstances,  to  make  the  subject  more  clear 
and  comprehensible  to  those  who  have  not  made  war  a  par 
ticular  study,  or  who  have  not  had  the  good  fortune  of  seeing 
those  few  rare  works  on  this  subject  in  the  different  languages. 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS. 


Independent  of  the  numerous  other  advantages  resulting 
from  such  an  arrangement,  \vhich  are  too  obvious  to  need  any 
further  comment,  by  rendering  these  maxims  clear,  (which 
are  applicable  to  wars  in  all  countries),  by  foreign  examples 
chiefly,  we  shall  avoid  repetition  in  describing  the  American 
campaigns,  which  will,  incidentally,  develope  their  own  go 
verning  principles  with  clearness  and  perspicuity  to  those 
acquainted  with  military  movements  ;  or  who  first  carefully 
peruse  this  key  to  the  wonderful  projects  of  the  great  general, 
and  the  thrilling  and  startling  secrets  of  his  success. 

I. 

To  throw,  by  a  combined  operation,  the  greatest  mass  of 
forces  upon  the  decisive  or  primitive  objective  point,  in  wrhich 
resides  the  principle  of  strength  in  the  enemy,  so  as  to  destroy 
this  point  in  the  shortest,  most  decided  and  effectual  manner, 
constitutes  the  one  great  governing  principle — the  maxim  of 
maxims  in  war;  in  other  words,  to  attack  the  most  vulnerable 
point  of  the  enemy,  which  conquered,  would  be  most  decisive 
in  terminating  the  wrar.  All  other  maxims  or  precepts  are 
intended  to  instruct  us  in  the  mode  of  accomplishing  this 
^reat  object. 

II. 

The  application  of  the  first  maxim  to  a  great  and  perfect 
operation  ought  to  include  these  three  primitive  combina 
tions  : — First,  forming  the  plan  of  a  campaign,  offensive  or 
defensive,  embracing  the  lines  of  operation  in  the  best  man 
ner.  The  second  is  the  art  of  moving  the  mass  of  forces 
with  the  greatest  rapidity  upon  the  objective  point  of  the 
line  of  operations.  This  is  the  mode  of  execution  or  strategy. 
The  third  is  the  art  of  combining  the  mass  of  forces  to  act 
simultaneously  on  the  most  important  point  on  the  battle 
field. 

1.  In  laying  a  plan  of  campaign,  six  essential  points  pre 
sent  themselves  to  our  consideration:  a,  the  political  situation 
of  both  parties  ;  b,  the  situation  at  the  particular  time ;  c,  the 
relative  force  and  means  of  carrying  on  the  war  ;  d,  the  loca 
tion  and  distribution  of  the  armies  of  both  parties ;  e,  the 
natural  lines  of  operations ;  /,  the  most  advantageous  line  of 


12  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


operations.  The  relative  means  of  war  between  the  partiw 
are  only  to  be  viewed  as  they  are  of  importance.  Territorial 
or  manoeuvring  lines  of  operation,  says  a  late  writer,  are  the 
principal  object ;  and  though  they  are  subject  to  many  acces 
sory  considerations,  the  rules  of  the  art  must  nevertheless 
form  their  basis.  Originality  and  great  boldness  are  not 
incompatible  with  their  application. 

But,  before  we  proceed,  it  will  be  proper  to  give  a  defini 
tion  of  several  military  terms. 

A  base  or  basis  of  operations  is  the  frontier,  a  large  river, 
a  coast,  chains  of  mountains,  fortresses,  deserts  or  any  topo 
graphical  or  political  extent  of  country,  upon  the  imaginary 
line  of  which  the  corps  of  an  army  assemble,  offensively,  to 
take  their  departure  from  thence  into  the  country  of  the 
enemy,  and  to  which,  if  they  fail,  they  intend  to  retreat ; 
defensively,  to  counteract  all  the  measures  of  an  invading  foe. 

Lines  of  operations  are  territorial  and  manoeuvring  lines. 
The  territorial  lines  are  those  traced  by  art  or  nature  for  the 
defence  or  invasion  of  states.  Frontiers  covered  with  for 
tresses,  or  having  a  natural  defence,  as  mountains,  rivers,  &c., 
form  their  constituents.  Manoeuvring  lines  are  the  disposi 
tions  of  the  general  to  traverse  them  offensively,  or  cover 
them  defensively.  Both  these  lines  of  operations  are  inti 
mately  connected.  In  offensive  war,  the  line  is  an  imaginary 
perpendicular  upon  the  base,  along  which  an  army  operates 
against  the  enemy  ;  in  defensive  war  it  is  often  the  same,  but 
still  oftener  parallel  to  the  territorial  line.  A  line  of  commu 
nication  is  either  the  same  as  that  of  operations,  or  any  other 
by  which  the  army  receives  its  supplies  and  communicates  with 
the  base. 

Some  examples  will  render  the  definition  more  intelligible. 
France  and  Austria  have  three  great  lines  of  operations 
against  each  other ;  by  Italy  on  one  side,  Switzerland  and 
Tyrol  on  the  centre,  and  by  Germany  on  the  other.  In  these 
the  Po,  the  Maine,  the  Danube,  or  a  principal  road,  consti 
tutes  the  materiel  of  lines,  which  are  amenable  to  only  a  few 
rules  presented  by  their  nature.  Between  Prussia  and  Aus 
tria  are  again  three  lines — through  Moravia,  Lusatia,  and 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE   OPERATIONS.  13 


Saxony.  Lines  of  operations  are  divisible  into  collateral  or 
separate  points.  Frederick  entered  Bohemia  by  his  central 
line  upon  four  points.  The  French  invaded  Germany,  in 
1796  and  1799,  upon  two  subdivided  lines.  Napoleon  always 
operated  upon  one  principal  line,  as  did  the  Duke  of  Welling 
ton  in  Spain. 

2.  Rapidity  of  movement  increases  the  force  of  an  army 
by  enabling  the  mass  to  be  carried  alternately  on  every  point 
of  the  line.  "  The  whole  mystery  of  warlike  operations  is  cen 
tred  in  the  legs  /"  says  Marshal  Saxe.  Napoleon  holds  nearly 
the  same  language :  "  The  strength  of  an  army,  like  the 
power  in  mechanics,  is  estimated  by  multiplying  the  mass  by 
the  rapidity ;  a  rapid  march  augments  the  morale  of  an  army, 
and  increases  all  the  chances  of  victory."  WASHINGTON  said 
so,  if  you  please,  when  he  took  possession  of  Dorchester 
Heights,  and  compelled  the  British  army  to  leave  Boston 
without  firing  a  gun ;  thus  winning  the  game  by  the  very  first 
move.  He  again  acted  in  accordance  with  the  same  principle, 
when  he  rushed  like  a  meteor  from  the  north  to  the  south,  to 
besiege  Yorktown  and  strike  the  decisive  blow  before  John 
Bull  got  his  spectacles  fairly  adjusted  to  see  where  he  was. 
Rapidity,  says  Montecuculli,  is  of  importance  in  concealing 
the  movements  of  an  army,  because  it  leaves  no  time  to 
divulge  the  intention  of  the  commander.  It  is,  therefore,  an 
advantage  to  attack  the  enemy  unexpectedly — to  take  him 
off  his  guard — to  surprise  him,  and  let  him  feel  the  thunder 
before  he  sees  the  flash.  But  if  too  great  celerity  exhausts 
your  troops,  while  on  the  other  hand  delay  deprives  you  of 
the  favourable  moment,  you  must  weigh  the  advantage  against 
the  disadvantage,  and  choose  between.  Marshal  Villars  ob 
serves,  that  in  war  everything  depends  upon  being  able  to 
deceive  the  enemy ;  and,  having  once  gained  this  point,  in 
never  allowing  him  time  to  recover  himself.  Villars  has 
united  practice  to  precept.  His  bold  and  rapid  marches  were 
almost  always  crowned  with  success.  It  was  the  opinion  of 
Frederick  the  Great,  that  all  wars  should  be  short  and  rapid ; 
because  a  long  war  insensibly  relaxes  discipline,  depopulates 
the  state,  and  exhausts  its  resources.  The  principle  of  rapid- 


16  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


next ;  and  large  rivers  occupy  the  third  place.  These  are 
important  considerations  in  the  invasion  of  a  country,  com 
ing  as  they  do  from  a  man  of  so  much  experience,  indepen 
dent  of  his  great  military  genius.  He  appears  to  have  been 
called  upon  to  surmount  every  kind  of  difficulty  incidental  to 
warfare  in  his  military  career. 

In  Egypt  he  traversed  burning  deserts,  suffering  dreadfully 
from  heat  and  thirst,  and  vanquished  and  destroyed  the  Ma 
melukes,  so  celebrated  for  their  courage  and  address,  in  a 
country  ill  adapted  to  supply  the  wants  of  his  troops.  In  the 
conquest  of  Italy  he  twice  crossed  the  Alps  by  difficult 
passes,  and  at  a  season  which  rendered  the  undertaking  truly 
formidable.  In  three  months  he  passed  the  Pyrenees,  beat 
and  dispersed  four  Spanish  armies.  In  short,  from  the  Rhine 
to  the  Borysthenes,  no  natural  obstacle  could  be  found  to 
arrest  the  rapid  march  of  his  victorious  army. 

IV. 

When  an  army  undertakes  an  invasion  or  acts  offensively, 
it  takes  the  lead  in  the  movements,  and  those  of  the  enemy 
are  necessarily  subordinate  to  them.  If  it  occupies  with  a 
division  each  of  the  great  avenues  leading  to  the  enemy,  he 
will  be  in  doubt  and  perplexity  as  to  the  point  of  the  intended 
attack,  and  wrill  not  know  \vhere  to  concentrate  his  masses  to 
oppose  them.  Although  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  move 
with  a  mass  of  force  near  the  enemy,  yet  if  the  army  takes 
the  lead  in  the  movements  it  may  gain  great  advantages  by 
marching  in  separate  corps  while  still  at  a  distance  from  him, 
if  he  has  not  a  concentrated  mass  ready  to  act,  and  there  be 
several  roads  leading  concentrically  towards  the  point  in 
tended  to  be  occupied.  Five  corps  of  20.000  men  each,  will, 
of  course,  move  'forward  more  rapidly  towards  any  point, 
than  a  hundred  thousand  men  marching  on  the  same  road, 
who  can  only  advance  with  the  tardiness  natural  to  large 
bodies.  They  are  not  only  interfering  with  the  movements 
of  each  other,  but  they  must  necessarily  be  encumbered  with 
the  immense  train  of  baggage  for  subsistence. 

An  army  of  20,000  men  can  find  subsistence  by  merely 
causing  the  country  for  some  leagues  around  to  contribute 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  15 


a  combined  attack  upon  the  decisive  point,  is  applied ;  and 
it  is  easy  to  understand  how  a  general  of  ability,  with  60,000 
men,  may  be  able  to  defeat  100,000,  if  he  can  bring  50,000 
into  action  upon  a  single  part  of  his  enemy's  line ;  for  battles 
are  decided,  not  by  troops  upon  the  muster-rolls,  nor  even  by 
those  present,  but  by  those  alone  who  are  simultaneously 
engaged. 

III. 

In  the  selection  of  the  particular  line  of  operations,  the 
rulers  of  a  country  must  be  governed  by  circumstances. 
The  situation  of  the  belligerents ;  their  resources ;  nature  of 
the  fortresses ;  strength  of  their  forces ;  distance  from  sea ; 
direction  of  a  chain  of  mountains ;  course  of  a  river ;  the 
condition  of  neutral  powers,  or  apprehensions  of  an  ally, 
should  all  receive  due  consideration.  It  is  requisite  to  fore 
see  everything  the  enemy  may  do,  and  be  prepared  to  meet 
it.  It  is  true  we  sometimes  see  bad  selections  succeed,  the 
plans  of  which  are  entirely  at  variance  with  the  principles 
of  war;  but  these  are  either  the  results  of  the  caprices  of 
fortune  or  of  the  errors  committed  by  the  enemy.  A  good 
general  should  never  trust  either ;  and  if  his  government  lays 
a  plan  which  he  considers  faulty,  to  attempt  to  execute  it 
would  be  culpable,  if  it  were  his  opinion  that  he  thus  allowed 
himself  to  be  made  instrumental  in  his  army's  ruin.  It  would 
become  his  duty  to  represent  his  reasons  against  it,  and  en 
deavour  to  persuade  a  change  of  plan,  and,  if  unsuccessful, 
rather  resign  than  do  violence  to  his  conscience  and  wrong 
to  his  countrymen. 

"  In  general,  the  initial  application  of  military  masses 
should  be  when  the  belligerents  are  neighbours  on  some  part 
of  the  frontier  which  projects  into  the  hostile  state,  as  Bohe 
mia  with  regard  to  Prussia,  or  Silesia  with  regard  to  Austria. 
But  it  is  a  maxim  that  lines  of  operations  have  their  key  as 
well  as  fields  of  battle :  in  the  former,  the  great  strategical 
points  are  decisive ;  as  in  the  fatter,  the  points  which  com 
mand  the  weak  part  of  a  position  constitute  the  key." 

Of  all  the  obstacles  on  the  frontier  of  states,  says  Napo 
leon,  the  most  difficult  to  overcome  is  the  desert — mountains 


14  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


ity,  carried  to  the  extent  of  Villars  and  Frederick,  however, 
must  be  received  with  some  caution :  in  the  case  of  the  lat 
ter,  in  adopting  it  as  a  maxim ;  in  that  of  the  former,  in  the 
manner  of  carrying  it  into  execution.  In  the  one  we  must 
be  governed  by  circumstances ;  in  the  other  by  prudence.  If 
the  movements  of  an  army  are  too  slow,  their  antagonists 
will  not  only  guard  against  surprise,  but  be  prepared  for 
their  reception.  General  Schuyler  retreated  before  Bur- 
goyne,  but  he  threw  so  many  obstacles  in  his  way,  that  by 
the  time  he  arrived  at  Saratoga  the  Americans  were  pre 
pared  to  meet  him. 

3.  Among  the  first  principles  in  battle  is  that  of  operating 
with  a  superior  force  upon  a  decisive  point,  because  the  phy 
sical  force  of  organic  numbers  in  arms  furnishes  the  unerring 
means  of  victory  when  the  moral  qualities  in  both  armies  are 
equal.  The  means  of  bringing  this  force  to  bear  in  the  most 
advantageous  manner  is  the  art  of  fighting;  consequently, 
courage  and  fortune  being  nearly  balanced,  that  general  who 
can  operate  with  the  largest  mass  upon  the  most  decisive 
point  must  be  successful :  but,  to  effect  this  purpose,  the  com 
binations  must  be  such  as  to  produce  a  unity  of  movements, 
conducing  simultaneously  to  the  same  object. 

It  is  necessary  to  avoid  dispositions  which  have  generally 
proved  fatal;  such  as,  1st,  forming  isolated  divisions;  2d, 
ordering  extended  movements,  which  deprive  the  army  of  a 
part  of  its  strength,  and  enable  the  enemy  to  ruin  either  the 
main  body  or  the  detachment ;  3d,  positions  with  too  great 
an  extent  of  front ;  4th,  allowing  obstacles  to  separate  the 
wings,  or  obstacles  which  prevent  the  connexion  of  columns, 
and  expose  them  to  separate  defeats. 

The  first  combinations  are  those  which  produce  an  oblique 
order  of  battle — those  with  a  wing  reinforced,  those  which 
outflank  the  enemy,  and  those  which  form  a  perpendicular 
upon  a  hostile  extremity,  or  upon  a  scattered  centre.  These 
are  almost  always  successful,  because  they  present  a  whole 
line  to  an  extremity,  and  therefore  a  greater  mass  than  the 
enemy.  Thus  the  fundamental  principle  of  all  military  com 
binations,  namely,  to  effect  with  the  greatest  mass  of  forces 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  17 


to  their  wants ;  and  if  they  take  with  them  biscuit  for  a 
week,  that  is,  during  the  first  period,  while  corps  are  in  posi 
tion,  or  manoeuvring  in  a  contracted  area  with  other  columns, 
they  can  subsist  until  the  magazines  are  formed.  This  plan 
will  enable  the  general  to  dispense  with  the  necessity  of  pre 
arranged  magazines,  or  the  encumbrance  of  field-ovens. 

The  general  direction  is  upon  the  centre,  one  of  the  extre 
mities,  or  the  rear  of  the  enemy's  line.  Of  these  an  extremity 
is  usually  to  be  preferred,  because  from  it  the  rear  is  easily 
gained.  The  centre  is  preferred  only  where  the  enemy's  line 
is  scattered  and  his  corps  separated  by  long  intervals. 

V. 

It  should  be  laid  down  as  a  principle,  that  when  the  con 
quest  of  a  country  is  undertaken  by  two  or  three  armies, 
which  have  each  their  separate  line  of  operation  until  they 
arrive  at  a  point  fixed  upon  for  their  concentration,  the  junc 
tion  should  never  take  place  too  near  the  enemy,  because  the 
latter,  in  uniting  his  forces,  might  not  only  prevent  it,  but 
defeat  the  armies  in  detail.  This  error  was  committed  by 
Frederick  the  Great,  in  the  campaign  of  1757.  Marching  to 
the  conquest  of  Bohemia  with  two  armies,  which  had  each 
their  separate  line  of  operation ;  he  united  them  in  the  sight 
of  the  Duke  of  Lorraine,  who  covered  Prague  with  the  impe 
rial  army.  Frederick,  it  is  true,  succeeded,  but  the  success 
of  this  march  depended  entirely  on  the  inaction  of  the  Dirke, 
who,  at  the  head  of  70,000  men,  did  nothing  to  prevent  the 
junction  of  the  two  Prussian  armies. 

VI. 

Plans  of  campaign  may  be  modified,  ad  libitum,  according 
to  circumstances,  the  genius  of  the  general,  the  character  of 
the  troops,  and  the  features  of  the  country. 

Sometimes  hazardous  campaigns  succeed,  the  plan  of  which 
is  directly  at  variance  with  the  maxims  of  war,  as  already 
stated,  by  good  fortune,  or  faults  of  the  enemy,  upon  which 
a  general  should  never  count ;  for  even  when  the  plan  is  ori 
ginally  good,  it  may  run  the  risk  of  failing  at  the  outset,  if 
opposed  by  an  adversary  who  acts  at  first  on  the  defensive, 


18  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


and  then  suddenly  seizing  the  initiative,  surprises  by  the  skil- 
fulness  of  his  manoeuvres.  Such  was  the  fate  of  the  plan 
laid  down  by  the  Auiic  council,  for  the  campaign  of  1796, 
under  the  command  of  Marshal  Wurmser.  From  his  great 
numerical  superiority,  the  Marshal  had  calculated  on  the 
entire  destruction  of  the  French  army  by  cutting  off  its 
retreat.  He  founded  his  operations  on  the  defensive  attitude 
of  his  adversary,  who  was  posted  on  the  line  of  the  Adige, 
and  had  to  cover  the  siege  of  Mantua,  as  well  as  central  and 
lower  Italy. 

Wurmser,  supers  ing  Lie  French  army  fixed  in  the  neigh 
bourhood  of  Mantua,  divided  his  force  into  three  corps,  which 
marched  separately,  intending  to  unite  at  that  place.  Napo 
leon,  having  penetrated  the  design  of  the  Austrian  general, 
felt  all  the  adv  ^  to  be  derived  from  striking  the  first 
blow  against  an  y  divided  into  three  corps,  without  any 
relative  communications.  He  hastened,  therefore,  to  raise  the 
siege  of  Mantua,  assembled  the  whole  of  his  forces,  and  by 
this  means  became  superior  to  the  imperialists,  whose  divi 
sions  he  attacked  and  beat  in  detail.  Thus  Wurmser,  who 
fancied  he  had  only  to  march  to  certain  victory,  saw  himself 
compelled,  after  a  ten  days'  campaign,  to  retire  with  the 
remains  of  his  army  into  the  Tyrol,  after  a  loss  of  25,000 
men  in  killed  a*K?  wounded,  15,000  prisoners,  nine  stand  of 
colours,  and  seventy  pieces  ui'  cannon. 

VII. 

An  army,  says  Napoleon,  which  undertakes  the  conquest 
of  a  country,  has  either  its  two  wings  resting  upon  neutral 
territories,  or  upon  great  natural  obstacles,  such  as  rivers  or 
chains  of  mountains.  It  boppens  in  some  cases  that  only  one 
wing  is  so  supported,  and  in  others,  that  both  are  exposed. 

In  the  first  instance  cited,  viz.,  where  both  wings  are  pro 
tected,  a  general  has  only  to  guard  against  being  penetrated 
in  front.  In  the  second,  when  one  wing  only  is  supported, 
he  should  rest  upon  the  supported  wing.  In  the  third,  where 
both  wings  are  exposed,  he  should  depend  upon  a  central 
formation,  and  never  allow  the  different  corps  under  his  com 
mand  to  depart  from  this,  for  if  it  be  difficult  to  contend  with 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND   WARLIKE   OPERATIONS.  19 


the  disadvantage  of  having  two  flanks  exposed,  the  inconve 
nience  is  doubled  by  having  four,  tripled  if  there  be  six ; 
that  is  to  say,  if  the  army  is  divided  into  two  or  three  differ 
ent  corps.  In  the  first  instance,  then,  as  above  quoted,  the 
line  of  operation  may  tend  indifferently  to  the  right  or  to  the 
left.  In  the  second,  it  should  be  directed  towards  the  wing 
in  support.  In  the  third,  it  should  be  perpendicular  to  the 
centre  of  the  army's  line  of  march.  But  in  all  these  cases  it 
is  necessary,  every  five  or  six  days,  to  have  a  strong  post  or 
an  entrenched  position  upon  the  line  of  march,  in  order  to 
collect  stores  and  provisions,  to  organize  convoys,  to  form  a 
centre  of  movement  and  establish  a  point  of  defence  to  shorten 
the  line  of  operation. 

These  general  principles  of  war  were  entirely  unknown  or 
lost  sight  of  in  the  middle  ages.  The  Crusaders  in  their 
fanaticism,  while  making  their  incursions  into  Palestine,  appear 
to  have  had  no  other  object  in  view  but  to  fight  and  conquer, 
so  little  pains  did  they  take  to  reap  any  advantages  from 
their  victories.  Hence  innumerable  armies  perished  by  their 
blind  zeal,  without  any  other  advantage  than  that  derived 
from  the  momentary  success  gained  by  their  superiority  in 
numbers. 

By  neglecting  this  principle,  Charles  the  Twelfth,  aban 
doning  his  line  of  operations  and  all  communication  with 
Sweden,  threw  himself  into  the  Ukraine,  and  lost  the  greatest 
part  of  his  army  by  the  fatigue  of  a  winter  campaign,  in  a 
barren  country  without  resources. 

Defeated  at  Pultowa,  he  was  reduced  to  seek  refuge  in 
Turkey,  after  crossing  the  Dnieper  with  the  remains  of  his 
army,  diminished  to  little  more  than  one  thousand  men. 

Gustavus  Adolphus  was  the  first  who  brought  back  the  art 
of  war  to  its  true  principles.  His  operations  in  Germany 
were  bold,  rapid  and  well  executed.  He  made  use  of  suc 
cess  for  future  security,  and  established  his  line  of  operation 
so  as  to  guard  against  the  possibility  of  any  interruption  in 
his  communications  with  Sweden.  His  campaigns,  therefore 
form  a  new  era  in  the  art  of  war. 


20  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY 


VIII. 

In  the  formation  of  large  armies,  the  great  variety  of  stores 
and  ammunition  which  are  required,  makes  it  necessary  to 
establish  positions,  forming  depots  or  magazines,  and  keep 
the  communication  with  them  always  open  and  yet  protected. 
These  positions  are  the  base — the  foundation  of  all  offensive 
war,  from  which  the  line  of  operations  is  directed  forward 
into  the  enemy's  country. 

IX. 

There  are  a  great  variety  of  manoeuvring  lines.  Simple 
lines  of  operations,  where  an  army  operates  in  only  a  single 
direction  from  a  frontier,  without  forming  detached  corps. 
Double  and  multiplied  lines,  when  it  acts  upon  the  same  fron 
tier  with  two  or  three  isolated  corps,  towards  one  or  several 
objects.  Interior  lines  of  operations  are  formed  to  oppose  se 
veral  hostile  lines,  and  are  so  directed  as  to  possess  internal 
connexion,  and  enabled  to  move  and  approach  each  other, 
without  allowing  the  enemy  to  oppose  a  superior  mass  to 
them.  Exterior  lines,  on  the  contrary,  possess  the  opposite 
qualities :  they  are  such  as  an  army  may  form  at  the  same 
time,  upon  the  two  extremities  of  one  or  several  hostile  lines. 
Lines  upon  an  extended  front  are  those  which  are  arranged 
upon  a  great  contiguous  development  by  isolated  divisions, 
but  still  belonging  to  the  same  mass  of  forces,  and  operating 
upon  the  same  object.  Under  this  head  are  comprehended, 
likewise,  lines  formed  by  two  separate  corps  upon  one  given 
extent :  they  are  then  double  lines  upon  a  great  front.  Deep 
or  lengthened  lines  are  those  wrhich,  commencing  at  their 
base,  pass  over  a  great  extent  of  country  before  they  can 
attain  their  object ;  as  Napoleon's  campaign  into  Russia. 
Concentric  lines  of  operation  are  either  several  or  a  single 
line  subdivided,  moving  from  distant  points  in  order  to  arrive 
at  the  same  object,  in  front  or  in  rear  of  their  base.  Eccen 
tric  lines  designate  a  single  mass  starting  from  one  point,  and 
dividing  itself  in  order  to  form  several  diverging  lines  upon 
isolated  objects.  Secondary  lines  are  those  in  the  great  com 
binations  of  two  armies,  which  designate  their  relative  con 
nexion  while  operating  upon  the  development  of  the  same 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE   OPERATIONS.  21 


frontier.  Accidental  lines  are  produced  in  the  original  plan 
of  campaign,  when  unexpected  events  necessitate  a  new 
direction  for  the  operations.  They  are  of  the  highest  im 
portance,  and  rarely  adopted  but  by  generals  of  the  first 
abilities.  Among  all  these  lines,  the  simple  and  interior  are 
the  best,  particularly  when  combined,  as  being  most  conge 
nial  to  the  great  principle  of  carrying  a  mass  of  troops  upon' 
the  decisive  point.  A  few  remarks  will  make  the  truth  of 
this  apparent.  If  an  army  advances  from  its  base  of  opera 
tions  upon  one  line,  it  is  clear  that  the  general  commanding 
will  have  but  two  important  dangers  to  provide  against ; 
first,  that  of  his  troops  being  attacked  unawares ;  and,  se 
condly,  that  of  being  turned  and  cut  off  from  his  communi 
cations  with  his  base.  An  army,  on  the  other  hand,  which 
moves  upon  double,  exterior  or  multiplied  lines,  must  be 
weakened  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  its  divisions.  The 
general  has  many  combinations  to  attend,  and  many  dangers 
to  guard  against ;  his  columns  being  on  many  roads,  and  un 
connected,  must  also  be  dependent  upon  many  persons  and 
many  orders.  Obstacles  will  be  multiplied  at  every  step; 
and  errors  cannot  be  known  or  corrected  without  much  loss 
of  time. 

X. 

The  configuration  of  the  theatre  of  war  may  possess  the 
same  importance  as  that  of  a  frontier ;  for,  in  fact,  every 
theatre  of  war  may  be  considered  as  a  quadrilateral  figure. 
To  elucidate  this  idea,  the  scene  of  operations  of  the  French 
army  from  1757  to  1769,  and  the  F-  L 
operations  of  Napoleon  in  1806,  Al 

J  AI  Kortfc  Sea 

may  be  cited.  In  Fig.  1,  the  side 
A  B  being  enclosed  by  the  North 
Sea,  the  side  B  D  by  the  river  We- 
ser,  base  of  the  army  of  Prince  Fer 
dinand  ;  C  D  representing  the  river 
Maine,  base  of  the  French,  and  A  C 
the  Rhine,  likewise  in  possession  of 
the  French  ;  their  armies  operating  c 
offensively  on  the  sides  A  C  and  C  D,  had  the  third,  A  B, 


22  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


or  North  Sea,  in  their  favour,  and  therefore  B  D  was  the 
only  side  which  they  were  to  gain  by  their  manreuvres,  to 
have  possession  of  the  four  sides,  and  consequently  of  the 
base  of  all  the  communications  of  their  adversary. 

This  is  more  clearly  exemplified  in  Fig.  2.    The  French 
Fig.  2.  army,  E,  proceeding  from  the  base, 

C  D,  to  gain  the  position  F  G  H, 
cuts  off  the  allied  army,  J,  from  the 
side  B  D,  its  only  communication 
^^*  and  base.    It  would  thus  be  driven 

^-*a  into  the  angle  LAM,  which  is 
formed  near  Embden  by  the  line 
of  the  Rhine,  the  Ems,  and  the 
sea  ;  while  the  army,  E,  could  al 


ways  communicate  with  C  D,  or  the  Maine. 

The  raano2uvre  of  Napoleon  on  the  Saale,  in  1806,  was 
combined  on  the  same  principle.  He  moved  upon  Jena  and 
Naumburg  in  the  position  F  G  H  ;  and  then  advancing  by 
Helle  and  Dessau,  he  threw  the  Prussian  army,  J,  upon  the 
side,  A  B,  formed  by  the  sea.  The  fate  which  attended  that 
army  at  Erfurth,  Magdeburg,  Liibeck,  and  Prentzlow,  is  well 
known.  The  great  art,  therefore,  consists  in  combining  the 
marches  so  as  to  arrive  upon  the  communications  of  the  ene 
my  without  sacrificing  one's  own.  Now  the  lines  F  G  H,  by 
means  of  the  prolonged  position  and  the  angle  formed  towards 
the  extremity  of  the  enemy,  always  preserves  the  communi 
cation  with  the  base,  C  D.  This  constitutes  the  application 
of  the  manoeuvres  of  Marengo  and  Jena. 

When  the  theatre  of  hostilities  is  not  near  the  sea,  it  will 
be  still  circumscribed  by  some  great  neutral  power,  which 
guards  the  frontier,  and  encloses  one  side  of  the  quadrangle. 
No  doubt  this  barrier  is  inferior  to  the  sea,  but,  in  a  general 
view,  it  must  nevertheless  be  considered  as  an  obstacle,  upon 
which  it  is  dangerous  to  be  driven  after  a  defeat,  and  advan 
tageous  to  push  an  enemy.  A  state  with  200,000  men  will 
not  suffer  its  neutrality  to  be  violated  with  impunity  ;  and  if 
a  beaten  army  ventured  so  to  do,  still  it  would  be  cut 
from  its  base.  But  if  an  inferior  power  forms  the  limit  of 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  *J3 

the  theatre  of  war,  the  square  of  operations  may  then  be 
considered  as  extending  over  it  to  the  next  greut  neutral 
power,  or  the  sea. 

To  give  a  still  more  convincing  proof  of  the  justness  of 
the  preceding  ideas,  let  us  examine  the  scene  of  the  campaign 
of  1806-7,  in  Poland.  The  Baltic  and  the  frontier  of  Aus 
trian  Gallicia  formed  the  two  sides  A  B  and  C  D  of  the  above 
square.  It  was  of  great  consequence  to  both  parties  to  avoid 
being  driven  upon  either  of  these  obstacles.  The  configura 
tion  of  the  frontiers  may  modify  the  sides  of  the  square,  and 
convert  them  into  a  parallelogram,  or  a  trapezius,  as  in  Fig.  3. 

In  this  case,  the  army  G  H,  being  in  possession  of  the  sides 
A  C  and  C  D,  wrould  be  still  pi(r  3 

more    favourably   situated,   be-  A a 

cause  the  base  of  the  opponent, 
being  contracted  at  B  D,  would 
be  more  difficult  to  keep  open. 
The  front  of  the  base  B  D  hav 
ing  less  extent,  offers  fewer  re 
sources  for  manoeuvring,  and 
affords  to  the  army,  G  H,  the  c' 
means  of  operating  with  more  success,  because  the  direction 
of  the  line  C  D  naturally  leads  upon  the  communications  of 
the  enemy,  and  because  the  space  to  be  occupied  in  order  to 
cut  him  off  is  shorter,  and  therefore  more  easily  held  with 
concentrated  forces. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  manner  of  embracing  a  theatre 
cf  war  is  amenable  to  these  two  principles : 

1.  To  direct  the  masses  upon  the  decisive  points  of  the 
line  of  operations ;  that  is,  upon  the  centre,  if  the  enemy  has 
imprudently  scattered  his  forces,  or  upon  an  extremity,  if  he 
is  in  a  contiguous  line. 

2.  To  make  the  great  effort,  in  the  latter  case,  upon  that 
extremity  which  has  its  back  against  an  insurmountable  ob 
stacle,  or  which  leads  upon  the  communications  of  the  enemy 
without  sacrificing  our  own, 

XI. 
Passive  defence  should  never  be  depended  upon,  nor  mere 


24  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


fortresses  without  an  army,  as  it  would  be  like  a  shield  with 
out  a  sword.  It  is  very  obvious  that  the  defensive  system 
which  has  the  greatest  number  of  offensive  faculties  is  always 
to  be  preferred.  In  passive  defence  the  enemy  can  choose 
their  own  time  and  place  to  strike,  and  prepare  accordingly ; 
but  in  offensive  operations,  besides  increasing  the  morale  of 
the  army,  as  already  observed,  the  enemy  has  not  time  or 
does  not  know  where  to  concentrate  their  forces.  Indepen 
dent  of  this,  you  keep  the  horrors  of  war  out  of  your  own 
country  by  successful  invasions  of  the  enemy's  country. 

XII. 

As  armies  defend  a  country,  so  fortresses  defend  armies. 
These  likewise  secure  the  magazines,  stores,  and  hospitals  of 
an  army,  and  save  the  materiel  and  broken  troops  after  a 
defeat. 

XIII. 

At  the  commencement  of  a  campaign,  to  advance  or  not  to 
advance  is  a  matter  of  grave  consideration ;  but  when  once 
the  offensive  has  been  assumed,  it  must  be  sustained  to  the 
last  extremity.  However  skilful  the  manoeuvres,  a  retreat 
always  weakens  the  morale  of  an  army,  because  losing  the 
chances  of  success ;  these  last  are  transferred  to  the  enemy. 
Besides,  retreats  always  cost  more  men  and  materiel  than  the 
most  bloody  battles ;  with  this  difference,  that  in  battle  the 
enemy's  loss  is  nearly  equal  to  your  own,  whereas  in  a  retreat 
the  loss  is  on  your  side  only. 

Marshal  Saxe  remarks,  that  no  retreats  are  so  favourable 
as  those  which  are  made  before  a  languid  and  unenterprising 
enemy ;  for  when  he  pursues  with  vigour,  the  retreat  soon 
degenerates  into  a  rout.  Upon  this  principle  it  is  a  great 
error,  says  the  Marshal,  to  adhere  to  the  proverb  which 
recommends  us  to  build  a  large  bridge  of  gold  for  a  retreating 
enemy.  No. — Follow  him  up  with  spirit,  and  he  is  destroyed. 

XIV. 

Although  it  has  been  already  stated  that  it  is  better  to 
attack  the  extremity  of  a  line,  yet  it  must  appear  evident  that 
both  the  extremities  should  sot  be  attacked  at  the  same  time, 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  25 


unless  there  be  a  very  great  superiority  on  the  part  of  the 
assailant.  An  army  of  60,000  men  forming  two  corps  of 
30,000  each,  for  the  purpose  of  attacking  an  enemy  equally 
numerous,  is  deprived  of  the  power  of  striking  a  decisive 
blow,  because  it  enables  the  adversary  to  take  equal  mea 
sures  ;  or  even,  if  the  movement  be  extended  and  uncon 
nected,  to  assemble  his  mass  against  one  of  the  divisions,  and 
destroy  it  by  his  momentary  superiority.  Multiplied  attacks 
by  means  of  a  greater  number  of  columns  are  still  more  dan 
gerous,  more  repugnant  to  the  best  principles  of  war,  parti 
cularly  when  they  cannot  commence  acting  at  the  same  mo 
ment  and  upon  the  same  point.  But  when  there  is  a  very 
great  superiority  of  force  on  the  side  of  the  assailant,  then, 
indeed,  both  the  extremities  of  the  hostile  line  should  be 
attacked,  because  thus  a  greater  number  of  troops  is  brought 
into  action  on  both  his  wings ;  whereas  if  this  great  superi 
ority  were  kept  in  one  mass  upon  a  single  point,  the  adver 
sary  might  deploy  as  many  as  the  other  party  could  bring 
into  action,  and  thus  engage  with  equal  numbers.  In  this 
case  it  is  only  requisite  to  collect  the  greatest  mass  upon  that 
wing  where  the  greatest  success  is  expected. 

If  50,000  men,  intending  to  attack  60,000,  should  form  two 
corps  of  nearly  equal  force,  and,  with  a  view  to  embrace 
both  the  extremities  of  their  line,  should  extend  and  isolate 
the  attacks,  it  is  clear  that  the  60,000  will  have  the  facility 
of  moving  more  rapidly  within  the  interior  of  their  line,  than 
the  assailant's  corps  with  such  a  mass  between  them,  as  Fig. 
4  demonstrates.  The  two  corps  B  and  C  might  gain  momen 
tarily  some  ground,  but  the 
enemy,  A,  leaving  a  corps  to 
check  C  upon  the  most  ad 
vantageous  ground  for  de 
fence  which  its  position  might 
offer,  could  throw  the  remain 
ing  mass  of  forces  on  the  front,  flank,  and  rear  of  B.  which 
must  consequently  be  destroyed.  If  B  and  C  should  have  a 
third  detachment  on  the  centre,  the  result  would  be  still  more 
disastrous,  for  then  separate  corps  would  attack  without  union 


26  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 

a  force  everywhere  imposing,  which  could  not  fail  to  over 
power  them.  This  took  place  at  Kolin,  from  inattention  to 
the  orders  of  the  king ;  at  Neerwinden  in  1793 ;  and  at 
Stockack,  in  1799,  where  Dumourier  and  Jourdon  were  de 
feated  by  Prince  Coburg  and  the  Archduke  Charles. 

XV. 

Spies  are  of  the  utmost  consequence  when  the  lead  is  taken 
against  the  enemy,  so  as  to  obtain  from  time  to  time  a  know 
ledge  of  the  positions  and  movements  which  are  undertaken. 
Partisans,  thoroughly  versed  in  watching  the  enemy,  are  of 
still  greater  utility.  For  this  purpose  the  general  should 
scatter  small  parties  in  all  directions,  and  multiply  them  with 
as  much  care  as  he  would  show  to  restrain  them  in  great 
operations.  Some  divisions  of  light  cavalry,  expressly  orga 
nized  for  this  service,  and  not  included  in  the  order  of  battle, 
are  the  most  efficient.  To  operate  without  such  precaution 
is  to  walk  in  the  dark,  and  to  be  exposed  to  the  disastrous 
consequences  which  may  be  produced  by  a  secret  march  of 
the  enemy.  These  measures  are  too  generally  neglected. 
The  espionnage  is  not  sufficiently  organized  beforehand ;  and 
the  officers  of  light  troops  have  not  always  the  requisite  ex 
perience  to  conduct  their  detachments. 

XVI. 

The  most  appropriate  disposition  for  leading  troops  into 
action,  the  Order  of  Battle,  should  possess  the  inherent  quali 
ties  of  mobility  and  solidity.  To  attain  these  two  objects, 
troops  which  are  to  remain  on  the  defensive  should  be  partly 
deployed  and  partly  in  columns,  as  the  allied  army  was  at 
Waterloo,  or  the  Russians  at  Eylau ;  but  the  corps  destined 
to  attack  a  decisive  point  should  be  disposed  into  two  lines 
of  battalions,  formed  into  columns  of  more  or  less  density. 
Jomini  proposes  columns  of  grand  divisions,  according  to  the 
French  formation  of  a  battalion  of  six  companies,  making 
three  grand  divisions. 

Three  grand  divisions  would  thus  form  three  lines,  and  the 
second  line  three  more.  This  order,  he  thinks,  offers  more 
solidity  than  a  deployed  line,  which  waves  too  much,  retards 
the  impulse  necessary  for  attack,  and  prevents  the  officers 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  27 


from  managing  their  men.  In  order  to  facilitate  the  march, 
obviate  the  great  density  of  the  mass  and  procure  a  greater 
front,  the  division  should  be  formed  only  two  deep ;  for  thus 
the  battalions  will  be  more  moveable.  The  march  in  front 
three  deep  is  always  fatiguing  to  the  centre  rank,  which,  being 
pressed  between  the  first  and  third,  produces  fluctuation  and 
consequent  faintness  in  the  onset.  The  front  thus  also  be 
coming  one-third  longer,  the  quantity  of  fire  may  be  augmented 
if  necessary. 

XVII. 

Between  two  armies  equally  capable  of  manoeuvring,  the 
defensive  one  may  form  an  angle  with  advantage,  to  secure 
a  flank  from  attack ;  but  to  render  this  precaution  efficacious, 
the  angle  alone  is  not  sufficient,  because  its  utility  is  only 
momentary ;  the  mass,  therefore,  should  change  front  in  the 
same  direction,  and  present  a  whole  line  to  the  enemy. 

If  the  army  be  sufficiently  strong  to  assume  the  offensive 
against  the  assailant,  a  change  of  front,  which  is  merely  de 
fensive,  should  be  followed,  as  soon  as  the  angle  is  formed  and 
the  enemy  checked,  by  placing  the  line  in  columns  of  divi 
sions  to  the  flanks,  and  prolonging  the  direction  from  the 
position  first  occupied,  to  gain  the  hostile  flank.  Thus  taken 
in  front  by  the  angle,  and  in  flank  and  rear  by  the  new  direc 
tion,  the  enemy  will  be  defeated.  In  Fig.  5,  A  is  the  army 
endeavouring  to  turn  the  left 
flank  of  B,  which  forms  the 
angle  C,  and  under  the  protec 
tion  of  this  corps  prolongs  its 
line  in  the  direction  E  E,  by 
means  of  which  the  extremity 
of  the  hostile  flank  is  gained ; 
A  cannot  well  oppose  the  exe 
cution  of  this  movement  in  the 
presence  of  the  angle  C  and  of 
the  line  E,  which,  though  it  be 
in  column,  can  form  in  an  instant ;  hence  A  must  fall  back 
and  change  front  also. 

If  a  defensive  position  has  an  angle  in  the  rear,  the  front 


28 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


will  be  weakened  in  proportion  as  that  angle  becomes  more 
acute  :  but  if  there  be  a  considerable  interval  on  the  summit, 
where  the  two  lines  should  meet,  the  danger  will  be  still 
greater ;  for  if  the  enemy  can  establish  himself  on  the  point 
A,  it  is  clear  that  the  two  wings,  A  C  and  A  B,  will  be  enfi 
laded  and  forced  to  retreat,  if  not  rolled  up  in  confusion  by 
an  actual  charge  on  either  or  both  of  these  extremities.  This 
caused  the  defeat  of  the  Austrians  at  Prague,  and  of  the 
Prussians  at  Breslau.  (Fig.  6.) 

Fig.  6.  Fig.  7. 

C A  B K 


B  P 

If  two  allied  armies  or  great  corps  take  up  positions  form 
ing  a  re-entering  angle  with  a  space  between  them,  and  some 
considerable  obstacle  masks  that  space,  they  expose  them 
selves  to  be  attacked  and  defeated  separately :  this  danger 
increases  with  the  increase  of  the  distance  between  them. 
The  corps  A  D  being  separated  from  B  E  by  a  wood,  lake, 
or  other  considerable  obstacle,  at  G,  the  enemy,  F  H,  being 
covered  by  that  obstacle,  may  attack  and  defeat  one  before 
the  other  can  arrive  to  sustain  it.  (Fig.  7.)  This  principle 
results  from  the  maxims  of  interior  against  exterior  lines  of 
operations. 

XVIII. 

An  oblique  attack,  according  to  Guibert  and  the  Journal 
Topographique,  is  a  disposition  by  which  a  part,  or  the  choice 
of  the  forces,  is  advanced  towards  the  enemy,  and  the  other 
kept  out  of  his  reach.  This  definition  is  not  quite  correct,  as 
Figs.  8,  9, 10  and  11  demonstrate.  An  army  may  be  out  of 
Fig.  8.  reach  of  the  enemy,  and  therefore 

4 __B      refused  in  a  line  nearly  parallel,  and 

strongly  reinforced  on  a  wing,  with- 

out  being  oblique.  (Fig.  8.)  It  may 

also  be  in  an  inclined  line  on  the  head  of  the  attacks,  and 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  29 


form  a  positive  diagonal  without  being  reinforced  (Fig.  9) ; 
Fig.  9.  or  perpendicular  upon  a  flank,  as  at  Kuners- 

^ ?*dorff,withawingre-  Fi(r  10 

'Enforced  (Fig.  10);  A_ 
or  horizontal  upon 
the  head  of  the  co 
lumns,  without  be-  , 
ing  oblique  (Fig.  11). 
There  are  several  modifications  of  these  four  orders  (among 
others  Fig.  10) ;  as,  for  example,  a  perpendicular  angle  to 
the  front,  as  formed  by  the  Austrians  at  Prague,  Kolin,  and 

Fig.  11. 
p J*  Fig.  12. 


Hochkirchen  (Fig.  12) ;  the  angle  A  C,  being  perpendicular 
to  the  army  D  E,  reinforces  the  right  wing,  the  line  A  B  with 
out  being  oblique  :  so  also  an  angle  to  the  rear  would  rein- 

|  force  the  line  without  obliquity.  A  parallel  line,  considerably 
reinforced  upon  the  most  important  point,  is  no  doubt  good, 
and  even  very  generally  applicable ;  for  it  is  conformable  to 
the  principles  which  form  the  basis  of  all  operations:  but  it 

|  has  several  inconveniences.  The  weak  part  of  the  line  being 
near  the  enemy,  may  be  engaged,  contrary  to  the  intention, 
and  be  defeated  ;  which  event  would  balance  and  arrest  the 
advantages  gained  on  the  other  wing ;  as  happened  to  both 
armies  at  Wagrani.  The  reinforced  wing  having  defeated  its 
opponent,  cannot  take  it  in  flank  and  rear  without  a  consider 
able  movement,  which  would  separate  it  from  the  other,  if 
already  engaged :  but  admitting  the  weaker  wing  not  to  be 
engaged,  the  other  cannot  even  then  turn  the  flank  without 
drawing  it  circularly  along  the  hostile  front,  which  the  enemy 
must  necessarily  anticipate  by  being  on  the  chord  of  the 

|  movement,  and  consequently  give  him  the  advantage  of  the 

__ 


30  THE    ARMY    Ji  UD    NAVY. 


offensive,  by  reaching  the  decisive  point  first  with  the  mass 
of  his  forces. 

With  the  oblique  order  of  Frederick,  as  applied  at  Leuthen, 
the  effect  is  quite  different ;  the  extremity  of  the  wing  at 
tacked  is  not  only  overpowered  by  a  whole  line,  but  the  end 
of  that  wing  is  constantly  outflanked  and  the  line  turned, 
without  manoeuvre  or  prole  ftgation  of  direction,  simply  by  a 
direct  advance  of  the  oblique  line.  The  distance  of  the  divi 
sions  which  are  not  intended  for  the  principal  attack,  places 
them  out  of  danger  of  being  engaged  by  a  superior  force,  and 
yet  sustains  the  wing  in  action.  These  effects  of  the  open 
oblique  attack,  although  known,  cannot  be  too  often  presented 
to  the  reflections  of  military  men.  They  offer,  besides,  an 
other  advantage  still  more  decisive,  in  bringing  the  half  of 
the  army  constantly  into  action  against  the  extremity,  pro 
bably  of  only  two  brigades,  of  the  hostile  army,  which  has 
no  counter-manoeuvre  to  stop  its  progress.  What  troops  can 
stand  against  such  odds,  when,  besides,  they  are  constantly 
outflanked  and  taken  in  reverse  ?  Is  it  possible  that  confusion 
and  dismay  should  not  follow  in  a  whole  line,  whose  flank  is 
overthrown  and  menaced  with  total  destruction,  by  the  pro 
gressive  advance  in  a  direction  upon  the  rear  ? 

Yet  such  must  be  the  infallible  result  of  an  oblique  attack, 
when  once  it  has  reached  the  flank  of  the  opponent  undisco 
vered,  as  indicated  in  the  preceding  maxims ;  and  when  the 
lines  are  rapidly  formed  according  to  the  method  of  Frede 
rick,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  observations  on  marches.  Fig.  13 
demonstrates  the  mechanism  more  clearly.  The  left  wing, 
B  C,  of  the  army  A  C,  will  receive  the  fire  of  the  second 
brigade  of  the  army  D  K  L,  while  the  first  brigade,  or  ex 
treme  right,  formed  in  column  of  divisions,  will  turn  it  and 
decide  the  first  attack  with  rapidity.  The  second  brigade,  in 
the  oblique  direction  of  its  march,  will  soon  be  seconded  by 
the  third ;  and  when  that  has  passed  the  extremity,  which 
must  constantly  recoil  before  a  contiguous  front,  the  fourth 
brigade  opens  its  fire;  and  in  this  manner,  supposing  the 
army  D  F,  K  L,  arrived  at  the  dotted  line  H  I,  the  whole 
will  have  been  engaged  in  succession  with  a  fourth  or  a  third 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE   OPERATIONS.  31 


of  the  enemy's  line,  the  battalions  of  which,  being  crushed 
one  after  another,  will  be  nearly  surrounded. 

Fig.  13. 


This  demonstration  is  sufficient  to  show  the  great  advan 
tage  of  an  open  oblique  order  of  attack.  It  is  called  open 
because  the  disposition,  such  as  that  of  Leuthen,  was  nearly 
at  right  angles  with  the  line  of  the  Austrians,  and  different 
in  every  respect  from  a  parallel  order.  All  these  advantages 
are  equally  applicable 
to  masses  concentrated 

upon    the    extremity S/s' 

which  it  is  intended  to  J> 
crush.     The  army  A 
B,  Fig.  14,  instead  of 
forming  two  lines,  as  / 

in  the  former  figure, 
may  draw  up  the  first  line  only,  and  keep  the  second  in  co 
lumns  at  half  distances  behind  the  right,  centre,  and  left, 
prepared  to  manoeuvre  or  strike  the  decisive  blow. 

XIX. 

An  army  should  be  ready  every  day,  every  night,  and  at 
all  times  of  the  day  and  night,  to  oppose  all  the  resistance  of 
which  it  is  capable.  With  this  view,  the  soldier  should  be 
invariably  complete  in  arms  and  ammunition ;  the  infantry 
should  never  be  without  its  artillery,  its  cavalry,  and  its  gene 
rals  ;  and  the  different  divisions  of  the  army  should  be  con 
stantly  in  a  state  to  support  and  to  be  supported. 


32  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


The  troops,  whether  halted  or  encamped,  or  on  the  march, 
should  be  always  in  favourable  positions,  possessing  the  essen 
tials  required  for  a  field  of  battle ;  for  example,  the  flanks 
should  be  well  covered,  and  all  the  artillery  so  placed  as  to 
have  free  range,  and  to  play  with  the  greatest  advantage. 
When  an  army  is  in  column  of  march,  it  should  have  advanced 
guards  and  flanking  parties,  to  examine  well  the  country  in 
front,  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  and  always  at  such  distance 
as  to  enable  the  main  body  to  deploy  into  position. 

XX. 

A  general-in-chief  should  ask  himself  frequently  in  the 
day — what  should  I  do  if  the  enemy's  army  appeared  now  in 
my  front,  or  on  my  right,  or  rny  left  ?  If  he  have  any  diffi 
culty  in  answering  these  questions,  he  is  ill  posted  and  should 
seek  to  remedy  it. 

XXL 

Valour  in  war  often  does  more  than  numbers,  and  discipline 
more  than  fury. 

XXII. 

When  an  army  is  inferior  in  number,  inferior  in  cavalry 
and  in  artillery,  it  is  essential  to  avoid  a  general  action.  The 
first  deficiency  should  be  supplied  by  rapidity  of  movement; 
the  want  of  artillery  by  the  nature  of  the  manoeuvres ;  and 
the  inferiority  of  cavalry,  by  the  choice  of  positions.  In  such 
circumstances,  the  morale  of  the  soldier  does  much. 

The  campaign  of  1814,  in  France,  was  skilfully  executed 
upon  these  principles.  Napoleon,  with  an  army  inferior  in 
number,  an  army  discouraged  by  the  disastrous  retreats  of 
Moscow  and  of  Leipzig,  and  still  more  by  the  presence  of  the 
enemy  in  the  French  territory,  contrived,  notwithstanding,  to 
supply  his  vast  inequality  of  force  by  the  rapidity  and  com 
bination  of  his  movements.  By  the  success  obtained  at 
Champaubert,  Montmirail,  Montereau,  and  Rheims,  he  had 
already  begun  to  restore  the  morale  of  the  French  army. 
The  numerous  recruits  of  which  it  was  composed,  had  already 
acquired  that  steadiness,  of  which  the  old  regiments  afforded 
them  an  example,  when  the  capture  of  Paris  and  the  aston- 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  33 


ishing  revolution  it  produced,  compelled  Napoleon   to  lay 
down  his  arms. 

But  this  consequence  resulted  rather  from  the  force  of  cir 
cumstances  than  from  any  absolute  necessity ;  for  Napoleon, 
i  by  carrying  his  army  to  the  other  side  of  the  Loire,  might 
easily  have  formed  a  junction  with  the  armies  of  the  Alps 
and  Pyrenees,  and  have  re-appeared  on  the  field  of  battle  at 
the  head  of  100,000  men.  Such  a  force  would  have  amply 
sufficed  to  re-establish  the  chances  of  war  in  his  favour,  more 
especially  as  the  armies  of  the  allied  sovereigns  were  obliged 
to  manoeuvre  upon  the  French  territory  with  all  the  strong 
places  of  Italy  and  France  in  their  rear.  Napoleon  said  he 
could  keep  up  a  civil  war  in  the  country,  but  he  scorned  to 
war  against  his  countrymen. 

XXIII. 

To  act  upon  lines  far  removed  from  each  other,  and  with 
out  communications,  is  to  commit  a  fault  which  always  gives 
birth  to  a  second.  The  detached  column  has  only  its  orders 
for  the  first  day :  its  operations  on  the  following  day  depend 
upon  what  may  have  happened  to  the  main  body.  Thus  the 
column  either  loses  time  upon  emergency,  in  waiting  for 
orders,  or  acts  without  them,  and  at  hazard.  Let  it  therefore 
be  held  as  a  principle,  that  an  army  should  always  keep  its 
columns  so  united  as  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  passing  be 
tween  them  with  impunity.  Whenever,  for  practical  reasons, 
this  principle  is  departed  from,  the  detached  corps  should  be 
independent  in  their  operations.  They  should  move, to  wards 
a  point  fixed  upon  for  their  future  junction.  They  should 
advance  without  hesitating,  and  without  waiting  for  fresh 
orders,  and  every  previous  means  should  be  concerted  to  pre 
vent  their  being  attacked  in  detail. 

The  Austrian  army,  commanded  by  Field-Marshal  Alvinzi, 
was  divided  into  two  corps,  destined  to  act  independently  till 
they  should  accomplish  their  junction  before  Mantua.  The 
first  of  these  corps,  consisting  of  45,000  men,  was  under  the 
orders  of  Alvinzi.  It  was  to  debouch  by  Monte  Baldo,  upon 
the  positions  occupied  by  the  French  army  of  the  Adige 
The  second  corps,  commanded  by  General  Provera,  was  des- 


34  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


lined  to  act  upon  the  lower  Adige,  and  to  raise  the  blockade 
of  Mantua.  Napoleon,  informed  of  the  enemy's  movements, 
but  not  entirely  comprehending  his  projects,  confined  himself 
to  concentrating  his  masses  and  giving  orders  to  the  troops  to 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  manoeuvre.  In  the  meantime 
fresh  information  satisfied  the  general-in-chief  of  the  French 
army  that  the  corps  which  had  debouched  by  La  Coronna, 
over  Monte  Baldo,  was  endeavouring  to  form  a  junction  with 
its  cavalry  and  artillery;  both  which,  having  crossed  the 
Adige  at  Dolce.  •  '?; reeling  their  march  upon  the  plateau 
of  Rivoli,  by  th;j  ;,,  *ad  leading  by  Incanole. 

Napoleon  immediately  foresaw,  that  by  having  possession 
of  the  plateau,  he  should  be  able  to  prevent  this  junction,  and 
obtain  all  the  advantages  of  the  initiative.  He  accordingly 
put  his  troops  i:  ••••*[ in.  and  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning 
occupied  that  ir  ;;t»i  p<>sition.  Once  master  of  the  point 
fixed  upon  for  the  junction  of  the  Austrian  columns,  success 
followed  all  his  dispositions.  He  repulsed  every  attack,  made 
7,000  prisoners,  and  took  several  standards  and  twelve  pieces 
of  cannon.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  battle  of 
Rivoli  was  already  gained,  when  Napoleon,  learning  that  Ge 
neral  Provera  had  passed  the  Adige  at  Anghiari,  and  was 
directing  his  march  upon  Mantua,  left  to  his  generals  the 
charge  of  follow''  r  the  rrtr^at  of  Alvinzi,  and  placed  him 
self  at  the  head  oi  a  division  for  the  purpose  of  defeating  the 
designs  of  Prove'ra. 

By  a  rapid  march,  he  again  succeeded  in  the  initiatory 
movement,  and  preventing  the  garrison  of  Mantua  from  unit 
ing  its  force  with  the  relieving  army.  The  corps  charged 
with  the  blockade,  eager  to  distinguish  itself  under  the  eyes 
of  the  conqueror  of  Rivoli,  compelled  the  garrison  to  retire 
into  the  place,  while  the  divisions  of  Victor,  forgetful  of  the 
fatigue  of  a  forced  march,  attacked  the  relieving  army  in 
front.  At  this  moment  a  sortie  from  the  lines  of  St.  George 
took  him  in  flank,  and  the  corps  of  Augereau,  which  had  fol 
lowed  the  march  of  the  Austrian  general,  attacked  him  in 
rear.  Provera,  surrounded  on  all  sides,  capitulated.  The 
result  of  these  two  battles  cost  the  Austrians  3,000  men  ia 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  35 


killed  and  wounded,  522,000  prisoners,  twenty-four  standards, 
and  forty-six  pieces  of  cannon. 

XXIV. 

The  fire  used  by  the  assailants  in  a  flank  attack  must  pro 
duce  enfilade ;  flank  attacks  and  enfilade  are,  therefore,  syno- 
.nymous  terms,  in  so  far  as  relates  to  fire. 

Of  enfilade  every  one  has  a  pretty  just  idea ;  it  is  a  de 
structive  sweeping  fire  along  a  line ;  it  is  to  soldiers  what 
raking  is  to  seamen,  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter ;  it  is 
to  either,  one  of  the  greatest  evils  that  can  befall  them,  and 
in  avoiding  it  on  the  one  hand  whilst  he  turns  it  on  his  ad 
versary,  consists  one  of  the  greatest  arts  of  an  able  com 
mander. 

The  more  we  consider  enfilade  and  flank  attacks,  or  turn 
ing  an  enemy,  the  more  we  shall  find  that  their  effects  per 
vade  the  whole  military  science,  and  form  the  main  springs 
of  most  military  movements  ;  it  is  to  obtain  these  advantages 
that  wings  are  thrown  forward  by  the  one  party,  and  to  pre 
vent  their  being  obtained  that  wings  are  thrown  back  by  the 
other ;  it  is  to  obtain  these  advantages  that  attacks  usually 
commence  towards  a  flank ;  it  is  to  obtain  these  advantages 
that  so  many  artifices  are  used,  either  by  means  of  circuitous 
routes  or  other  deceits,  to  fall  upon  an  enemy's  flank  during 
the  battle ;  and  it  is  to  avoid  such  mischief  that  both  parties, 
but  more  particularly  the  posted  one,  shows  such  solicitude 
in  the  arrangement  of  its  flanks,  as  shall  render  this  as  diffi 
cult  as  possible,  or  altogether  impracticable. 

The  body  which  succeeds  in  turning  or  taking  in  flank  its 
adversary,  usually  carries  with  it  the  fortune  of  the  day. 
We  have  also  adverted  to  the  fact,  that  a  position  forming 
an  angle  salient,  or  projecting  towards  an  enemy,  is  likewise 
a  weak  point,  and  it  becomes  weaker  and  weaker  in  propor 
tion  as  it  is  more  and  more  susceptible  of  enfilade,  by  being 
more  acute :  an  angle  rentrant,  or  projecting  from  an  enemy, 
if  the  flanks  and  rear  are  secure,  acts  in  the  opposite  ratio, 
for  one  part  of  the  position  defends  the  other.  Fleets  in  the 
defence  of  narrow  straits,  usually  draw  up  in  a  crescent  .or 
semicircle,  -with  the  concave  towards  the  enemy,  which  is 


36  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY, 

exactly  similar  in  principle,  as  well  as  effect,  to  the  angle 
projecting  from  the  enemy.  It  is  very  obvious  that  if  the 
angle  extended  towards  the,  enemy  they  might  fire  in  the 
direction  of  its  lines. 

XXV. 

An  army  ought  to  have  only  one  line  of  operation.  This 
should  .be  preserved  with  care,  and  never  abandoned  but  in 
the  last  extremity. 

The  line  of  communication,  says  Montecuculli,  must  be 
certain  and  well  established  for  every  army  that  acts  from  a 
distant  base;  and  the  commander  who  is  not  careful  to  keep 
his  line  perfectly  open,  marches  upon  a  precipice:  he  moves 
to  certain  ruin,  as  may  be  seen  by  an  infinity  of  examples. 
In  fact,  if  the  road  by  which  provisions,  ammunition,  and 
reinforcements  are  to  be  brought  up,  is  not  entirely  secured ; 
if  the  magazines,  the  hospitals,  the  depots  of  arms,  and  the 
places  of  supply  are  not  fixed,  and  commodiously  situated, 
not  only  the  army  cannot  keep  the  field,  but  it  will  be  exposed 
to  the  greatest  dangers. 

XXVI. 

The  distances  permitted  between  corps  of  an  army  upon 
the  march,  must  be  governed  by  the  localities,  by  circum 
stances,  and  by  the  object  in  view. 

When  an  army  moves  at  a  distance  from  the  enemy,  the 
columns  may  be  disposed  along  the  road  so  as  to  favour  the 
artillery  and  baggage.  But  when  it  is  marching  into  action, 
the  different  corps  must  be  formed  in  close  columns  in  order 
of  battle.  The  generals  must  take  care  that  the  heads  of  the 
columns  which  are  to  attack  together,  do  not  outstep  each 
other,  and  that  in  approaching  the  field  of  action,  they  pre 
serve  the  relative  intervals  required  for  deployment. 

The  marches  that  are  made  preparatory  to  a  battle  require, 
says  Frederick,  the  greatest  precaution.  With  this  view  he 
recommends  his  generals  to  be  particularly  on  their  guard, 
and  to  reconnoitre  the  ground  at  successive  distances,  in  order 
to  secure  the  initiative  by  occupying  those  positions  most 
calculated  to  favour  an  attack.  On  a  retreat,  it  is  the  opinion 
of  many  generals  that  an  army  should  concentrate  its  forces, 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  37 


and  march  in  close  columns  if  it  is  still  strong  enough  to 
resume  the  offensive ;  for  by  this  means  it  is  easy  to  form  the 
line  when  a  favourable  opportunity  presents  itself  either  for 
holding  the  enemy  in  check,  or  for  attacking  him  if  he  is  not 
in  a  situation  to  accept  battle. 

Such  was  Moreau's  retreat,  after  the  passage  of  the  Adda 
by  the  Austro-Russian  army.  The  French  general,  after 
having  covered  the  evacuation  of  Milan,  took  up  a  position 
between  the  Po  and  the  Tenaro.  This  camp  rested  upon 
Alexandria  and  Valentia,  two  capital  fortresses,  and  had  the 
advantage  of  covering  the  roads  to  Turin  and  Savona,  by 
which  he  could  effect  his  retreat  in  case  he  was  unable  to 
accomplish  a  junction  with  the  corps  d'armee  of  Macdonald, 
who  had  been  ordered  to  quit  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  and 
hasten  his  march  into  Tuscany. 

Forced  to  abandon  this  position  in  consequence  of  the 
insurrection  in  Piedmont  and  Tuscany,  Moreau  retired  upon 
Asti,  where  he  learned  that  his  communication  with  the  river 
of  Genoa  had  just  been  cut  off  by  the  capture  of  Ceva. 
After  several  ineffectual  attempts  to  re-take  this  place,  he 
saw  that  his  only  safety  depended  upon  throwing  himself  into 
the  mountains. 

To  effect  this  object,  he  directed  the  whole  of  his  battering 
train  and  heavy  baggage,  by  the  Col  de  Fenestrelle,  upon 
France ;  then  opening  himself  a  way  over  the  St.  Bernard, 
he  gained  the  Loano  with  his  light  artillery  and  the  small 
proportion  of  field  equipments  he  had  been  able  to  preserve. 

By  this  skilful  movement,  he  not  only  retained  his  commu 
nications  with  France,  but  was  enabled  to  observe  the  mo 
tions  of  the  army  from  Naples,  and  to  facilitate  his  junction 
with  it,  by  directing  the  whole  of  his  force  upon  the  points 
necessary  for  that  purpose. 

Macdonald,  in  the  meantime,  whose  only  chance  of  success 
depended  on  concentrating  his  little  army,  neglected  this  pre 
caution,  and  was  beaten  in  three  successive  actions  at  the 
Trebia.  By  this  retardment  of  his  march,  he  rendered  all 
Moreau's  measures  to  unite  the  two  armies  in  the  Plains  of 
the  Po  useless,  and  his  retreat  after  his  brilliant  but  fruitless 


THE    ARMY    AND   WAVY. 


efforts*  at  the  Trebia,  defeated  the  other  dispositions  also 
which  the  former  had  made  to  come  to  his  support.  After 
alii,  however,  the  inactivity  of  Marshal  Sirvvarrow  enabled 
the  French  general  to  accomplish  his  junction  with  the 
remains  of  the  army  from  Naples.  Moreau  then  concentrated 
his  whole  force  upon  the  Apennines,  and  placed  himself  in  a 
situation  to  defend  the  important  positions  of  Liguria,  until 
the  chances  of  war  should  afford  him  an  opportunity  of  resum 
ing  the  offensive. 

When,  after  a  decisive  battle,  an  army  has  lost  its  artillery 
and  equipments,  and  is  consequently  no  longer  in  a  state  to 
resume  the  offensive,  or  even  to  arrest  the  pursuit  of  the 
enemy,  it  would  seem  most  desirable  to  divide  what  remains 
into  several  corps,  and  order  them  to  march  by  separate  and 
distant  routes  upon  the  base  of  operations,  and  throw  them 
selves  into  the  fortresses.  This  is  the  only  means  of  safety ; 
for  the  enemy,  uncertain  as  to  the  precise  direction  taken  by 
the  vanquished  army,  is  ignorant  in  the  first  instance  which 
corps  to  pursue,  and  it  is  in  this  moment  of  indecision  that  a 
march  is  gained  upon  him.  Besides,  the  movements  of  a 
small  body  being  so  much  easier  than  those  of  a  larger  one, 
these  separate  lines  of  march  are  all  in  favour  of  a  retreating 
army. 

XXVI. 

Among  mountains,  a  great  number  of  positions  are  always 
to  be  found,  very  strong  in  themselves,  and  wrhich  it  is  dan 
gerous  to  attack.  The  character  of  this  mode  of  warfare 
consists  in  occupying  camps  on  the  flanks  or  in  the  rear  of 
the  enemy,  leaving  him  only  the  alternative  of  abandoning 
his  position  without  fighting,  to  take  up  another  in  the  rear, 
or  to  descend  from  it  in  order  to  attack  you.  In  mountain 
warfare,  the  assailant  has  always  the  disadvantage.  Even 
in  offensive  warfare  in  the  open  field,  the  great  secret  consists 
in  defensive  combats,  and  in  obliging  the  enemy  to  attack. 

During  the  campaign  of  1793,  in  the  Maritime  Alps,  the 
French  army  under  the  orders  of  General  Brunei  did  all  in 
its  power  to  get  possession  of  the  camps  at  Rans  and  at 
Fourches,  by  an  attack  in  front.  But  these  useless  efforts 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS. 


served  only  to  increase  the  courage  of  the  Piedmonts >e,  and 
to  destroy  the  elite  of  the  grenadiers  of  the  republican  army. 
The  manoeuvres  by  which  Napoleon,  without  fighting,  com 
pelled  the  enemy  to  evacuate  these  positions  in  1798,  suffice 
to  establish  the  truth  of  these  principles,  and  to  prove  how 
much  success  in  war  depends  upon  the  genius  of  the  general, 
as  well  as  on  the  courage  of  the  soldier. 

XXVII. 

It  is  an  approved  maxim  in  war,  never  to  do  what  the  ene 
my  wishes  you  to  do,  for  this  reason  alone,  that  he  desires  it. 
A  field  of  battle,  therefore,  which  he  has  previously  studied 
and  reconnoitred,  should  be  avoided ;  and  double  care  should 
be  taken  where  he  has  had  time  to  fortify  or  entrench.  One 
consequence  deducible  from  this  principle  is,  never  to  attack 
a  position  in  front  which  you  can  gain  by  turning. 

It  was  without  due  regard  to  this  principle,  that  Marshal 
Villeroi,  on  assuming  the  command  of  the  army  of  Italy  dur 
ing  the  campaign  of  1701,  attacked,  with  unwarrantable  pre 
sumption,  Prince  Eugene  of  Savoy  in  his  entrenched  position 
of  Chiari,  on  the  Oglio.  The  French  generals,  Catinat  among 
the  rest,  considered  the  post  unassailable;  but  Villeroi  insisted, 
and  the  result  of  this  otherwise  unimportant  battle  was  the 
loss  of  the  elite  of  the  French  army.  It  would  have  been 
greater  still  but  for  Catinat's  exertions. 

It  was  by  neglecting  the  same  principle,  that  the  Prince  of 
Conde,  in  the  campaign  of  1644,  failed  in  all  his  attacks  upon 
the  entrenched  position  of  the  Bavarian  army.  The  Count 
Merci,  who  commanded  the  latter,  had  drawn  up  his  cavalry 
skilfully  upon  the  plain,  resting  upon  Freyberg,  while  his 
infantry  occupied  the  mountain. 

After  many  fruitless  attempts,  the  Prince  of  Conde,  seeing 
the  impossibility  of  dislodging  the  enemy,  began  to  menace 
his  communication — but  the  moment  Merci  perceived  this,  he 
broke  up  his  camp  and  retired  beyond  the  Black  Mountains. 

XXVIIL 

In  a  war  of  march  and  manoeuvre,  if  you  would  avoid  a 
battle  with  a  superior  army,  it  is  necessary  to  entrench  every 
night,  and  occupy  a  good  defensive  position.  Those  natural 


40  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


positions  which  are  ordinarily  met  with  are  not  sufficient  to 
protect  an  army  against  superior  numbers  without  recourse 
to  art. 

The  campaign  of  the  French  and  Spanish  army,  com 
manded  by  the  Duke  of  Berwick,  against  the  Portuguese,  in 
the  year  1706,  affords  a  good  lesson  on  this  subject.  The 
two  armies  almost  made  the  tour  of  Spain.  They  began  the 
campaign  near  Badajoz,  and  after  manoeuvring  across  both 
Castilles,  finished  in  the  kingdoms  of  Valencia  and  Marcia. 
The  Duke  of  Berwick  encamped  his  army  eighty-five  times ; 
and  although  the  campaign  passed  without  a  general  action, 
he  took  about  10,000  prisoners  from  the  enemy.  Marshal 
Turenne  also  made  a  fine  campaign  of  manoeuvre  against  the 
Count  Montecuculli,  in  1675. 

The  imperial  army  having  made  its  dispositions  to  pass  the 
Rhine  at  Strasburg,  Turenne  used  all  diligence,  and  throw 
ing  a  bridge  over  the  river  near  the  village  of  Ottenheim, 
three  leagues  below  Strasburg,  he  crossed  with  the  French 
army  and  encamped  close  to  the  little  town  of  Velstet,  which 
he  occupied.  This  position  covered  the  bridge  of  Strasburg, 
so  that  by  this  manoeuvre  Turenne  deprived  the  enemy  of 
all  approach  to  that  city. 

Upon  this  Montecuculli  made  a  movement  with  his  whole 
army,  threatening  the  bridge  at  Ottenheim,  by  which  the 
French  received  their  provisions  from  upper  Alsace. 

As  soon  as  Turenne  discovered  the  design  of  the  enemy, 
he  made  a  rapid  march  with  his  whole  force  upon  the  village 
of  Altenheim.  This  intermediate  position  between  the  two 
bridges  which  he  wished  to  preserve,  gave  him  the  advan 
tage  of  being  able  to  succour  either  of  these  posts  before  the 
enemy  had  time  to  carry  them.  Montecuculli,  seeing  that 
any  successful  attack  upon  the  bridges  wras  not  to  be  ex 
pected,  resolved  to  pass  the  Rhine  below  Strasburg,  and  with 
this  view  returned  to  his  first  position  at  Ottenheim.  Mar 
shal  Turenne,  who  followed  all  the  movements  of  the  Aus 
trian  army,  brought  back  his  army  also  to  Velstet. 

In  the  meantime,  this  attempt  of  the  enemy  having  con 
vinced  the  French  general  of  the  danger  to  which  his  bridge 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  41 


had  exposed  him,  removed  it  nearer  to  Jjat  of  Strasburg,  in 
order  to  diminish  the  extent  of  ground  he  had  to  defend. 

Montecuculli  having  commanded  the  magistrates  of  Stras- 
burg  to  collect  materials  for  a  bridge,  moved  to  Scherzheim 
to  receive  them ;  but  Turenne  again  defeated  his  projects  by 
taking  a  position  at  Freistett,  where  he  occupied  the  islands 
of  the  Rhine,  and  immediately  constructed  a  stockade. 

Thus  it  was  that,  during  the  whole  of  this  campaign,  Tu 
renne  succeeded  in  gaining  the  initiative  of  the  enemy,  and 
obliging  him  to  follow  his  movements.  He  succeeded  also  by 
a  rapid  march  in  cutting  off  Montecuculli  from  the  town  of 
Offenburg,  from  when-  drew  his  supplies,  and  would  no 

doubt  have  prevented  the  Austrian  general  from  effecting  his 
junction  with  the  corps  of  Caprara,  had  not  a  cannon-shot 
terminated  this  great  man's  life. 

XXIX. 

A  general  of  ordinary  talent  occupying  a  bad  position,  and 
surprised  by  a  superior  force,  seeks  his  safety  in  retreat ;  but 
a  great  captain  supplies  all  deficiencies  by  his  courage,  and 
marches  boldly  to  meet  the  attack.  By  this  means  he  dis 
concerts  his  adversary ;  and  if  this  last  shows  any  irresolu 
tion  in  his  movements,  a  skilful  leader,  profiting  by  his  inde 
cision,  may  even  hope  for  victory,  or  at  least  employ  the  day 
in  manoeuvring — at  night  he  entrenches  himself,  or  falls  back 
to  a  better  position.  By  this  determined  conduct  he  main 
tains  the  honour  and  courage  of  his  army,  the  first  essentials 
to  all  military  superiority. 

In  1653,  Marshal  Turenne  was  surprised  by  the  Prince  of 
Conde,  in  a  position  in  which  his  army  was  completely  com 
promised.  He  had  the  power  indeed,  by  an  immediate  retreat, 
of  covering  himself  by  the  Somme,  which  he  possessed  the 
means  of  crossing  at  Peronne,  and  from  whence  he  was  dis 
tant  only  half  a  league ;  but  fearing  the  influence  of  this 
retrograde  movement  on  the  morale  of  his  army,  Turenne 
balanced  all  disadvantages  by  his  courage,  and  marched 
boldly  to  meet  the  enemy  with  very  inferior  forces.  After 
marching  a  league,  he  found  an  advantageous  position,  where 
he  made  every  disposition  for  a  battle.  It  was  three  o'clock 


I 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


m  the  afternoon,  but  the  Spaniards,  exhausted  with  fatigue, 
hesitated  to  attack  him ;  and  Turenne  having  covered  him 
self  with  entrenchments  during  the  night,  the  enemy  no 
longer  dared  to  risk  a  general  action,  and  broke  up  his  camp. 

XXX. 

The  transition  from  the  defensive  to  the  offensive,  is  one  of 
the  most  delicate  operations  in  war. 

It  is  by  studying  the  first  campaigns  of  Napoleon  in  Italy, 
that  we  learn  what  genius  and  boldness  may  effect  in  pass 
ing  with  an  army  from  the  defensive  to  the  offensive.  The 
army  of  the  allies,  commanded  by  General  Beaulieu,  was 
provided  with  every  means  that  could  render  it  formidable. 
Its  force  amounted  to  80,000  men,  and  two  hundred  pieces 
of  cannon.  The  French  army  on  the  contrary  could  number 
scarcely  30,000  men  under  arms,  and  thirty  pieces  of  cannon. 
;For  some  time  there  had  been  no  issue  of  meat,  and  even 
;bread  irregularly  supplied.  The  infantry  was  ill  clothed,  the 
cavalry  wretchedly  mounted.  All  the  draught  horses  had 
perished  from  want,  so  that  the  service  of  the  artillery  was 
performed  by  mules.  To  remedy  these  evils,  large  disburse 
ments  were  necessary ;  and  such  was  the  state  of  the  finances, 
that  the  government  had  only  been  able  to  furnish  two  thou 
sand  louis  for  the  opening  of  the  campaign.  The  French 
army  could  not  possibly  exist  in  this  state.  To  advance  or 
to  retreat  was  absolutely  necessary.  Aware  of  the  advan 
tage  of  surprising  the  enemy  at  the  very  outset  of  the  cam 
paign  by  some  decisive  blow,  Napoleon  prepared  for  it  by 
re-casting  the  morale  of  his  army. 

In  a  proclamation  full  of  energy,  he  reminded  them  that 
an  ignoble  death  alone  remained  for  them,  if  they  continued 
oa  the  defensive;  that  they  had  nothing  to  expect  from 
France,  but  everything  to  hope  from  victory.  "  Abundance 
courts;  you  in  the  fertile  plains  of  Italy,"  said  lie:  "are  you 
deficient,  soldiers,  in  constancy  or  in  courage  ?" 

Profiting  by  the  moment  of  enthusiasm  which  he  had  in 
spired,  Napoleon  concentrated  his  forces  in  order  to  fell  with 
his  whole  weight  on  the  different  corps  of  the  enemy.  Imme 
diately  afterwards,  the  battles  of  Montenotte,  Milesimo,  and 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE   OPERATIONS. 


j  Mondovi,  added  fresh  confidence  to  the  high  opinion  already 

[  entertained  by  the  soldier  for  his  chief;  and  that  army  which 
only  a  few  days  ago  was  encamped  amid  barren  rocks,  and 
consumed  by  famine,  already  aspired  to  the  conquest  of  Italy. 
In  one  month  after  the  opening  of  the  campaign,  Napoleon 
had  terminated  the  war  with  the  King  of  Sardinia,  and  con 
quered  the  Milanese.  Rich  cantonments  soon  dispelled  from 
the  recollection  of  the  French  soldiers  the  misery  and  fatigue 
attendant  upon  this  rapid  march,  while  vigilant  administra 
tion  of  the  resources  of  the  country  reorganized  the  materiel 
of  the  French  army,  and  created  the  means  necessary  for  the 
attainment  of  future  success.  Although  part  of  these  prin 
ciples  are  more  particularly  applicable  to  other  countries*  yet 
some  lessons  are  contained  among  the  rest  that  may  be  use* 

[  ful  to  the  American  reader. 

XXXI. 

It  may  be  laid  down  as  a  principle,  that  the  line  of  opera 
tions  should  not  be  abandoned ;  but  it  is  one  of  the  most  skil 
ful  manoeuvres  in  war  to.  know  how  to  change  it,  when  cir- 

I  cumstances  authorize  or  render  this  necessary.  An  army 
which  changes  skilfully  its  line  of  operation,  deceives  the 

I  enemy,  who  becomes  ignorant  where  to  look  for  its  rear,  or 
upon  what  weak  points  it  is  assailable. 

Frederick  the  Great  sometimes  changed  his  line  of  opera 
tion  in  the  middle  of  a  campaign;  but  he  was  enabled  to  do 
this,  because  he  was  manoeuvring  at  that  time  in  the  centre 
of  Germany,  an  abundant  country,  capable  of  supplying  all 
the  wants  of  his  army  in  case  his  communications  with  Prus 
sia  were  intercepted. 

Marshal  Turenne,  in  the  campaign  of  1746,  gave  up  his 
line  of  communication  to  the  allies  in  the  same  manner ;  but, 
like  Frederick,  he  was  carrying  on  the  war  at  this  time  in 
the  centre  of  Germany,  and  having  fallen  with  his  whole 
forces  upon  Rain,  he  took  the  precaution  of  securing  to  him 
self  a  depot  upon  which  to  establish  his  base  of  operations. 
By  a  series  of  manoeuvres,  marked  alike  by  audacity  and 
genius,  he  subsequently  compelled  the  imperial  army  to  aban 
don  its  magazines,  and  retire  into  Austria  for  winter-quarters. 


44  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


But  these  are  examples  which  appear  to  me  should  only  be 
imitated  when  \ve  have  taken  full  measure  of  the  capacity 
of  our  adversary,  and  above  all,  when  we  see  no  reason  to 
apprehend  an  insurrection  in  the  country  to  which  we  trans 
fer  the  theatre  of  war. 

XXXIL 

When  an  army  carries  with  it  a  battering  train,  or  large 
convoys  of  sick  and  wounded,  it  cannot  march  by  too  short 
a  line  upon  its  depots. 

It  is  above  all  in  mountainous  countries,  and  in  those  inter 
spersed  with  woods  and  marshes,  that  it  is  of  importance  to 
observe  this  maxim ;  for  the  convoys  and  means  of  transport 
being  frequently  embarrassed  in  defile,  an  enemy,  by  manoeu 
vring,  may  easily  disperse  the  escorts,  or  make  even  a  success 
ful  attack  upon  the  whole  army,  when  it  is  obliged,  from  the 
nature  of  the  country,  to  march  in  an  extended  column. 
XXXIII. 

The  art  of  encamping  in  position  is  the  same  as  taking  up 
the  line  in  order  of  battle  in  this  position.  To  this  end,  the 
artillery  should  be  advantageously  placed,  ground  should  be 
selected  which  is  not  commanded  or  liable  to  be  turned,  and, 
as  far  as  possible,  the  guns  should  cover  and  command  the 
surrounding  country. 

XXXIV. 

When  you  are  occupying  a  position  which  the  enemy 
threatens  to  surround,  collect  your  force  immediately,  and 
menace  him  with  an  offensive  movement.  By  this  manoeuvre 
you  will  prevent  him  from  detaching  and  annoying  your 
flanks,  in  case  you  should  judge  it  necessary  to  retire. 

This  was  the  manoeuvre  practised  by  General  Dessaix,  in 
1778,  near  Radstadt.  He  made  up  for  inferiority  in  numbers 
by  audacity,  and  maintained  himself  the  whole  day  in  posi 
tion,  in  spite  of  the  vigorous  attacks  of  the  Archduke  Charles. 
At  night  he  effected  his  retreat  in  good  order,  and  took  up  a 
position  in  the  rear. 

It  was  in  accordance  also  with  this  principle,  in  the  same 
campaign,  that  General  Moreau  gave  battle  at  Biberach,  to 
secure  his  retreat  by  the  passes  of  the  Black  Mountains.  A 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  45 


few  days  after,  he  fought  at  Schliengen  with  the  same  object. 
Placed  in  good  defensive  position,  he  menaced  the  Archduke 
Charles  by  a  sudden  return  to  the  offensive,  while  his  artil 
lery  and  baggage  were  passing  the  Rhine  by  the  bridge  of 
Haningen,  and  he  \vas  making  all  the  necessary  dispositions 
for  retiring  behind  that  river  himself. 

Here,  however,  I  would  observe  that  the  execution  of  such 
offensive  demonstrations  should  be  deferred  always  till  to 
wards  the  evening,  in  order  that  you  may  not  be  compro 
mised  by  engaging  too  early  in  a  combat  which  you  cannot 
long  maintain  with  success.  Night  and  the  uncertainty  of 
the  enemy  after  an  affair  of  this  kind,  will  always  favour 
your  retreat  if  it  is  judged  necessary;  but,  with  a  view  to 
mask  the  operation  more  effectually,  fires  should  be  lighted 
all  along  the  lines  to  deceive  the  enemy,  and  prevent  him 
from  discovering  this  retrograde  movement ;  for  in  a  retreat 
it  is  a  great  advantage  to  gain  a  march  upon  your  adversary. 

XXXV. 

Never  lose  sight  of  this  maxim,  that  you  should  establish 
your  cantonments  at  the  most  distant  and  best  protected 
point  from  the  enemy,  especially  where  a  surprise  is  possible. 
By  this  means  you  will  have  time  to  unite  all  your  forces 
before  lie  can  attack  you. 

In  the  campaign  of  1645,  Marshal  Turenne  lost  the  battle 
of  Marienthal  by  neglecting  this  principle ;  for  if,  instead  of 
reassembling  his  divisions  at  Erbsthausen,  he  had  rallied  his 
troops  at  Mergentheim  behind  the  Tauber,  his  army  would 
have  been  much  sooner  reunited,  and  Count  Merci,  in  place 
of  finding  only  3,000  men  to  fight  at  Erbsthausen,  (of  which 
he  was  well  informed,)  would  have  had  the  whole  French 
army  to  attack  in  a  position  covered  by  a  river. 

Some  one  having  indiscreetly  asked  Viscount  Turenne,  how 
he  had  lost  the  battle  of  Marienthal, — "  By  my  own  fault," 
replied  the  Marshal ;  "  but,"  added  he,  "  when  a  man  has 
committed  no  faults  in  war,  he  can  only  have  made  it  a  short 
time." 

XXXVI. 

When  two  armies  are  in  order  of  battle,  and  one  has  to 


46 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


retire  over  a  bridge,  while  the  other  has  the  circumference 
of  the  circle  open,  all  the  advantages  are  in  favour  of  the 
latter.  It  is  then  a  general  should  show  boldness,  strike  a 
decided  blow,  and  manoeuvre  upon  the  flank  of  his  enemy. 
The  victory  is  in  his  hands. 

This  was  the  position  of  the  French  army  at  the  famous 
battle  at  Leipzig,  which  terminated  the  campaign  of  1813  so 
fatally  to  Napoleon,  for  the  battle  of  Hanau  was  of  no  con 
sequence  comparatively  in  the  desperate  situation  of  that 
army. 

It  would  appear  that  in  a  situation  like  that  of  the  French 
army  previous  to  the  battle  of  Leipzig,  a  general  should  never 
calculate  upon  any  of  those  lucky  chances  which  may  rise 
out  of  a  return  to  the  offensive,  but  that  he  should  rather 
adopt  every  possible  means  to  secure  his  retreat.  With  this 
view,  he  should  immediately  cover  himself  with  good  en 
trenchments,  to  enable  him  to  repel  with  inferior  numbers 
the  attack  of  the  enemy,  while  his  own  equipments  are  cross 
ing  the  river.  As  fast  as  the  troops  reach  the  other  side, 
they  should  occupy  positions  to  protect  the  passage  of  the 
rear  guard,  and  this  last  should  be  covered  by  a  fete  de  pout 
as  soon  as  the  army  breaks  up  its  camp.  During  the  wars 
of  the  French  revolution  little  regard  was  paid  to  entrench 
ments  by  the  European  powers :  and  it  is  for  this  reason  we 
have  seen  large  armies  dispersed  after  a  single  reverse,  and 
the  fate  of  nations  compromised  by  the  issue  of  one  battle. 
XXXVII. 

It  is  contrary  to  all  true  principle,  to  make  corps  which 
.have  no  communication  act  separately  against  a  central  force 
whose  communications  are  open. 

The  Austrians  lost  the  battle  of  Hohenlinden  by  neglect 
ing  this  principle.  The  imperial  army,  under  the  orders  of 
the  Archduke  John,  was  divided  into  four  columns,  which 
had  to  march  through  an  immense  forest,  previous  to  their 
junction  in  the  plain  of  Anzing,  where  they  intended  to  sur 
prise  the  French.  But  these  different  corps,  having  no  direct 
communication,  found  themselves  compelled  to  engage  sepa 
rately  with  an  enemy  who  had  taken  the  precaution  of  con- 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE   OPERATIONS.  47 


centrating  his  masses,  and  who  could  move  them  with  faci 
lity  in  a  country  with  which  he  had  been  long  previously' 
acquainted. 

Thus  the  Austrian  army,  enclosed  in  the  defiles  of  the 
forest  with  its  whole  train  of  artillery  and  baggage,  was 
attacked  in  its  flanks  and  rear,  and  the  Archduke  John  was 
only  enabled  to  rally  his  dispersed  and  shattered  divisions 
under  cover  of  the  night.  The  trophies  obtained  by  the 
French  army  on  this  day  were  immense.  They  consisted  of 
11,000  prisoners,  one  hundred  pieces  of  cannon,  several  stand 
of  colours,  and  all  the  baggage  of  the  enemy. 

The  battle  of  Hohenlinden  decided  the  fate  of  the  cam 
paign  of  1800,  and  his  brilliant  and  well-merited  success 
placed  Moreau  in  the  rank  of  the  first  generals  of  the  age. 
XXXVIII. 

When  an  army  is  driven  from  a  first  position,  the  retreat 
ing  columns  should  rally  always  sufficiently  in  the  rear  to 
prevent  any  interruption  from  the  enemy.  The  greatest  dis 
aster  that  can  happen,  is  when  the  columns  are  attacked  in 
detail,  and  before  their  junction. 

One  great  advantage  which  results  from  rallying  your 
columns  on  a  point  far  removed  from  the  field  of  battle,  or 
from  the  position  previously  occupied,  is  that  the  enemy  is 
left  in  uncertainty  of  the  direction  you  mean  to  take. 

If  he  divides  his  force  to  pursue  you,  he  exposes  himself  to 
see  his  detachments  beaten  in  detail,  especially  if  you  have 
exerted  all  due  diligence,  and  effected  the  junction  of  your 
troops  in  sufficient  time  to  get  between  his  columns  and  dis 
perse  them  one  after  the  other.  It  was  by  a  manoeuvre  of 
this  kind,  in  the  campaign  of  Italy  in  1799,  that  General  Me- 
las  gained  the  battle  of  Genola. 

General  Championet  commanded  the  French  army,  and 
endeavoured  to  cut  off  the  communication  of  the  Austrians 
with  Turin,  by  employing  corps  which  manoeuvred  sepa 
rately  to  get  into  their  rear.  Melas,  who  divined  his  project, 
made  a  retrograde  march,  by  which  he  persuaded  his  adver 
sary  that  he  was  in  full  retreat,  although  the  real  object  of 
his  movement  was  to  concentrate  his  forces  at  the  point  fixed 


48  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


for  the  junction  of  the  different  detachments  of  the  French 
army,  and  which  he  beat  and  dispersed  one  after  another  by 
his  great  superiority  in  numbers.  The  result  of  this  ma 
noeuvre,  in  which  the  Austrian  general  displayed  vigour, 
decision,  and  coup  d'csil,  secured  to  him  the  peaceable  pos 
session  of  Piedmont. 

It  was  also  by  the  neglect  of  this  principle  that  General 
Beaulieu,  who  commanded  the  Austro-Sardinian  army  in  the 
campaign  of  1796,  lost  the  battle  of  Milesimo  after  that  of 
Montenotte.  His  object  in  endeavouring  to  rally  his  different 
corps  upon  Milesimo,  was  to  cover  the  high  roads  of  Turin 
and  Milan ;  but  Napoleon,  aware  of  the  advantages  arising 
from  the  ardour  of  troops  emboldened  by  recent  success, 
attacked  him  before  he  could  assemble  his  divisions,  and  by 
a  series  of  skilful  manoeuvres,  succeeded  in  separating  the 
combined  armies.  They  retired  in  the  greatest  disorder — 
the  one  by  the  road  of  Milan,  the  other  by  that  of  Turin. 

XXXIX. 

A  retiring  army  is  not  always  obliged  to  fall  back  upon  its 
own  frontier ;  it  may  sometimes  change  the  direction  of  its 
operations,  as  Frederick  did  after  the  siege  of  Olmutz,  in 
1758,  \vho,  instead  of  returning  into  Silesia,  changed  his  line 
and  marched  into  Bohemia.  This  measure  was  also  proposed 
to  Napoleon  before  the  battle  of  Leipzig.  He  was  advised 
to  approach  the  Elbe,  call  in  the  corps  of  St.  Cyr  from  Dres 
den,  cross  the  river  about  Wittemberg  and  descend  by  the 
right  bank  towards  Magdeburg.  The  Prussian  and  northern 
armies,  being  on  the  left  of  the  Elbe,  could  have  prevented 
the  destruction  of  Berlin,  Potsdam  and  Brandenburg.  And 
from  Magdeburg,  reinforced  with  its  vast  garrison,  and  con 
nected  with  the  Danes  and  the  corps  of  Davoust  at  Hamburg, 
he  could  have  operated  by  a  new  line,  having  his  communi 
cations  open  by  Wesel,  Cassel,  and  all  the  fortresses  of  Hol 
land.  There  were,  however,  many  and  probably  superior 
reasons,  which  made  him  reject  these  proposals. 

XL, 
No  force  should  be  detached  on  the  eve  of  battle,  because 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  49 


affairs  may  change  during  the  night,  either  by  the  retreat  of 
the  enemy,  or  by  the  arrival  of  large  reinforcements  to  ena 
ble  him  to  resume  the  offensive,  and  counteract  your  previous 
dispositions. 

In  1796,  the  army  of  the  Sambre  and  the  Meuse,  com 
manded  by  General  Jourdan,  effected  a  retreat  which  was 
rendered  still  more  difficult  by  the  loss  of  his  line  of  commu 
nication.  Seeing,  however,  the  forces  of  the  Archduke 
Charles  disseminated,  Jourdan,  in  order  to  accomplish  his 
retreat  upon  Frankfort,  resolved  to  open  himself  a  way  by 
Wurtzburg,  where  there  were  at  that  moment  only  two  divi 
sions  of  the  Austrian  army.  This  movement  would  have 
been  attended  with  success  if  the  French  general,  believing 
he  had  simply  these  two  divisions  to  contend  with,  had  not 
committed  the  error  of  separating  himself  from  the  corps  of 
Le  Fevre,  which  he  left  at  Schweinfurt,  to  cover  the  only 
direct  communication  of  the  army  with  its  base  of  operation. 

The  commission  of  this  fault  at  the  outset,  added  to  some 
slowness  of  the  march  of  the-  French  general,  secured  the 
victory  of  the  Archduke,  who  hastened  to  concentrate  his 
forces.  The  arrival  of  the  two  divisions  also  of  Kray  and 
Wartesleben  during  the  battle,  enabled  him  to  oppose  50,OOG 
men  to  the  French  army,  which  scarcely  numbered  30,000 
combatants.  This  last  was  consequently  beaten  and  obliged 
to  continue  its  retreat  by  the  mountains  of  Fuldes,  where  the 
badness  of  the  roads  could  be  equalled  only  by  the  difficulty 
|  of  the  country. 

The  division  of  Le  Fevre,  amounting  to  14,000  men,  would 
in  all  probability,  have  turned  the  scale  in  favour  of  Jourdan 
had  this  last  not  unfortunately  conceived  that  two  divisions 
only  were  opposing  his  passage  to  Wurtzburg. 

XLI. 

When  you  have  resolved  to  fight  a  battle,  collect  your 
whole  force  ;  dispense  with  nothing ;  a  single  battalion  some 
times  decides  the  day. 

It  might  here  be  observed,  that  it  is  prudent  before  a  battle 
to  fix  upon  some  point  in  rear  of  the  reserve  for  the  junction 
of  the  different  detachments ;  for  if,  from  unforeseen  circum- 


50  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


stances,  these  detachments  should  be  prevented  from  joining 
before  the  action  has  commenced,  they  would  be  exposed,  in 
case  a  retrograde  movement  should  have  been  found  neces 
sary,  to  the  masses  of  the  enemy.  It  is  desirable  also  to 
keep  the  enemy  in  ignorance  of  these  reinforcements  in  order 
to  employ  them  with  greater  effect.  A  seasonable  reinforce 
ment,  says  Frederick,  renders  the  success  of  the  battle  cer 
tain,  because  the  enemy  \vill  always  imagine  it  stronger  than 
it  is,  and  lose  courage  accordingly. 

XLII. 

Nothing  is  so  rash  or  so  contrary  to  principle,  as  to  make 
a  flank  inarch  before  an  army  in  position,  especially  when 
this  army  occupies  heights  at  the  foot  of  which  you  are  forced 
to  defile. 

It  was  by  the  neglect  of  this  principle  that  Frederick  was 
beaten  at  Kolin,  in  the  first  campaign  of  1757.  Notwith 
standing  prodigies  of  valour,  the  Prussians  lost  15,000  men 
and  a  great  portion  of  their  artillery,  while  the  loss  of  the 
Austrians  did  not  exceed  5,000  me«.  The  consequence  of 
this  battle  was  more  unfortunate  still,  since  it  obliged  the 
King  of  Prussia  to  raise  the  siege  of  Prague  and  to  evacuate 
Bohemia. 

It  was  also  by  making  a  flank  march  before  the  Prussian 
army,  that  the  French  lost  the  battle  of  Rosbach. 

This  imprudent  movement  was  still  more  to  be  reprehended, 
because  the  Prince  de  Soubise,  who  commanded  the  French 
army,  had  carried  his  indiscretions  so  far  as  to  manoeuvre, 
without  either  advanced  guards  or  flanking  corps,  in  presence 
of  the  enemy.  The  result  was,  that  his  army,  consisting  of 
50,000  men,  was  beaten  by  six  battalions  and  thirty  squad 
rons.  The  French  lost  7,000  men,  twenty-seven  standards, 
and  a  great  number  of  cannon.  The  Prussians  had  only 
3,000  men  hors  de  combat. 

Thus,  by  having  forgotten  this  principle,  that  a  flank  march 
is  never  to  be  made  before  an  enemy  in  line  of  battle,  Frede 
rick  lost  his  army  at  Kolin ;  and  Soubise,  at  Rosbach,  lost 
both  his  army  and  his  honour. 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  51 


XLIII. 

When  you  determine  to  risk  a  battle,  reserve  to  yourself 
every  possible  chance  of  success,  more  particularly  if  you 
have  to  deal  with  an  adversary  of  superior  talent ;  for  if  you 
are  beaten,  even  in  the  midst  of  your  magazines  and  your 
communications,  woe  to  the  vanquished ! 

We  should  make  war,  says  Marshal  Saxe,  without  leaving 
anything  to  hazard ;  and  in  this  especially  consists  the  talent 
of  a  general.  But  when  we  have  incurred  the  risk  of  a 
battle,  we  should  know  how  to  profit  by  the  victory,  and  not 
merely  content  ourselves,  according  to  custom,  with  pos 
session  of  the  field. 

It  was  by  neglecting  to  follow  up  the  first  success,  that  the 

Austrian  army,  after  gaining  the  field  of  Marengo,  saw  itself 

compelled  on   the  following  day  to  evacuate  the  whole  of 

|  Italy. 

General  Melas,  observing  the  French  in  retreat,  left  the 
direction  of  the  movements  of  his  army  to  the  chief  of  his 
staff",  and  retired  to  Alexandria  to  repose  from  the  fatigues  of 
the  day.  Colonel  Zach,  equally  convinced  with  his  general 
that  the  French  army  was  completely  broken,  and  consisted 
only  of  fugitives,  formed  the  divisions  in  column  of  route. 
By  this  arrangement  the  imperial  army  prepared  to  enter 
upon  its  victorious  march  in  a  formation  not  less  than  three 
miles  in  depth. 

It  was  near  four  o'clock  when  General  Dessaix  rejoined  the 
French  army  with  his  division.  His  presence  restored,  in 
some  degree,  an  equality  between  the  contending  forces ;  and 
yet  Napoleon  hesitated  for  a  moment  whether  to  resume  the 
offensive,  or  to  make  use  of  this  corps  to  secure  his  retreat. 
The  ardour  of  the  troops  to  return  to  the  charge  decided  his 
irresolution.  He  rode  rapidly  along  the  front  of  his  divisions, 
and  addressing  the  soldiers,  "  We  have  retired  far  enough  for 
to-day,  you  know  I  always  sleep  upon  the  field  of  'battle." 

The  army,  with  unanimous  shout,  proclaimed  to  him  a  pro 
mise  of  victory.  Napoleon  resumed  the  offensive.  The  Aus 
trian  advanced  guard,  panic-struck  at  the  sight  of  a  formi 
dable  and  unbroken  body  presenting  itself  suddenly  at  a 


52  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


point  where,  a  few  moments  before,  only  fugitives  wrere  to  be 
seen,  went  to  the  right-about,  and  carried  disorder  into  the 
mass  of  its  columns.  Attacked  immediately  afterwards  writh 
impetuosity  in  its  front  and  flank,  the  Austrian  army  was 
completely  routed. 

Marshal  Daun  experienced  nearly  the  same  fate  as  General 
Melas,  at  the  battle  of  Torgau,  in  the  campaign  of  1760. 
The  position  of  the  Austrian  army  was  excellent.  It  had  its 
left  upon  Torgau,  its  right  on  the  plateau  of  Siptitz,  and  its 
front  covered  by  a  large  sheet  of  water. 

Frederick  proposed  to  turn  its  right  in  order  to  make  an 
attack  upon  the  rear.  For  this  purpose  he  divided  his  army 
into  two  corps,  the  one  under  the  orders  of  Ziethen,  with 
instructions  to  attack  in  front,  following  the  edge  of  the  wa 
ter;  the  other,  under  his  own  immediate  command,  with 
which  he  set  out  to  turn  the  right  of  the  Austrians ;  but 
Marshal  Daun  having  had  intimation  of  the  movements  of 
the  enemy,  changed  his  front  by  countermarching,  and  was 
thus  enabled  to  repel  the  attacks  of  Frederick,  whom  he 
obliged  to  retreat.  The  two  corps  of  the  Prussian  army  had 
been  acting  without  communication.  Zeithen,  in  the  mean 
time,  hearing  the  fire  recede,  concluded  that  the  king  had 
been  beaten,  and  commenced  a  movement  by  his  left  in  order 
to  rejoin  him;  but  falling  in  with  two  battalions  of  the 
reserve,  the  Prussian  general  profited  by  this  reinforcement 
to  resume  the  offensive.  Accordingly  he  renewed  the  attack 
with  vigour,  got  possession  of  the  plateau  of  Siptitz,  and  soon 
after  of  the  whole  field  of  battle.  The  sun  had  already  set 
when  the  King  of  Prussia  received  the  news  of  this  unex 
pected  good  fortune.  He  returned  in  all  haste,  took  advan 
tage  of  the  night  to  restore  order  in  his  disorganized  army, 
and  the  day  after  the  battle  occupied  Torgau. 

Marshal  Daun  was  receiving  congratulations  upon  his  vic 
tory  when  he  heard  that  the  Prussians  had  resumed  the  offen 
sive.  He  immediately  commanded  a  retreat,  and  at  day 
break  the  Austrians  passed  the  Elbe  with  the  loss  of  12,000 
men,  8,000  prisoners,  and  forty-five  pieces  of  cannon. 

After  the  battle  of  Mareago,  General  Melas,  although  in 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  53 

the  midst  of  his  fortresses  and  magazines,  saw  himself  com 
pelled  to  abandon  everything  in  order  to  save  the  wreck  of 
his  army.  General  Mack  capitulated  after  the  battle  of  Ulm, 
although  in  the  centre  of  his  own  country. 

The  Prussians,  in  spite  of  their  depots  and  reserve,  were 
obliged,  after  the  battle  of  Jena,  and  the  French  after  that 
of  Waterloo,  to  lay  down  their  arms. 

Hence  we  may  conclude,  that  the  misfortune  that  results 
from  the  loss  of  a  battle,  does  not  consist  so  much  in  the  de 
struction  of  men  and  of  materiel  as  in  the  discouragement 
which  follows  this  disaster.  The  courage  and  confidence  of 
the  victors  augment  in  proportion  as  those  of  the  vanquished 
diminish ;  and  whatever  may  be  the  resources  of  an  army,  it 
will  be  found  that  retreat  will  degenerate  rapidly  into  a 
rout,  unless  the  general-in-chief  shall  succeed,  by  combining 
boldness  with  skill,  and  perseverance  with  firmness,  in  restor 
ing  the  morale  of  his  army. 

XLIV. 

The  duty  of  an  advanced  guard  does  not  consist  in  advanc 
ing  or  retiring,  but  in  manoeuvring.  An  advanced  guard 
should  be  composed  of  light  cavalry,  supported  by  a  reserve 
of  heavy  guards,  by  battalions  of  infantry,  supported  also  by 
artillery.  An  advanced  guard  should  consist  of  picked 
troops,  and  the  general  officers,  officers  and  men,  should  be 
selected  for  their  respective  capabilities  and  knowledge.  A 
corps  deficient  in  instruction,  is  only  an  embarrassment  to  an 
advanced  guard. 

It  was  the  opinion  of  Frederick,  that  an  advanced  guard 
should  be  composed  of  detachments  of  troops  of  all  arms. 
The  commander  should  possess  skill  in  the  choice  of  ground, 
and  he  should  take  care  to  be  instantly  informed,  by  means 
of  numerous  patroles,  of  everything  passing  in  the  enemy's 
camp. 

In  war,  it  is  not  the  business  of  the  advanced  guard  to 
fight,  but  to  observe  the  enemy,  in  order  to  cover  the  move 
ments  of  the  army.  When  in  pursuit,  the  advanced  guard 
should  charge  with  vigour,  and  cut  off  the  baggage  and  insu 
lated  corps  of  the  retiring  enemy.  For  this  purpose  it  should 


54  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


be  reinforced  with  all  the  disposable  light   cavalry  of  the 
army. 

XLV. 

When  the  Athenians  were  in  a  state  of  hostility  with 
Philip  of  Macedon,  Demosthenes,  who  was  an  advocate  of 
the  war,  advised  the  Athenians  to  make  the  war  at  the  great 
est  distance  they  could  from  Attica.  Phocion,  who  opposed 
the  war,  said  to  him,  "  My  friend,  consider  not  so  much  where 
we  shall  fight,  as  how  we  shall  conquer ;  for  victory  is  the  only 
thing  that  can  keep  the  war  at  a  distance :  if  we  are  beaten, 
every  danger  will  soon  be  at  our  gates." 

XLVI. 

It  is  contrary  to  all  the  usages  of  war,  to  allow  parks  or 
batteries  of  artillery  to  enter  a  defile  unless  you  hold  the 
other  extremity.  In  case  of  retreat,  the  guns  will  embarrass 
your  movements  and  be  lost.  They  should  be  left  in  position 
under  a  sufficient  escort  until  you  are  master  of  the  opening. 

Nothing  encumbers  the  march  of  an  army  so  much  as  a 
quantity  of  baggage.  In  the  campaign  of  1796,  Napoleon 
abandoned  his  battering  train  under  the  wall  of  Mantua,  after 
spiking  his  guns  and  destroying  the  carriages.  By  this  sacri 
fice,  he  acquired  a  facility  of  manoeuvring  rapidly  his  little 
army,  and  obtained  the  initiative  as  well  as  a  general  supe 
riority  over  the  numerous  but  divided  forces  of  Marshal 
Wurmser. 

In  1799,  during  his  retreat  in  Italy,  General  Moreau  being 
compelled  to  manoeuvre  among  the  mountains,  preferred  sepa 
rating  himself  entirely  from  his  reserve  artillery,  which  he 
directed  upon  France  by  the  Col  de  Fenestrelle,  rather  than 
embarrass  his  march  with  this  part  of  his  equipment. 

XLVII. 

Plutarch  tells  us  that  when  Alexander  the  Great  besieged 
Sisimethres  upon  a  rock  extremely  steep  and  apparently  in 
accessible,  and  saw  his  men  greatly  discouraged  at  the  enter 
prise,  he  asked  Oxyartes,  "  Whether  Sisimethres  was  a  man 
of  spirit  ?"  And  being  answered,  "  That  he  was  timorous 
and  dastardly,"  he  said,  "  You  inform  me  the  rock  may  be 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  55 


taken,  since  there  is  no  strength  in  its  defender."     He  intimi 
date^  Sisimethres,  and  made  himself  master  of  the  fort. 

X  L  V  1 1 1 . 

It  should  be  laid  down  as  a  principle,  never  to  leave  inter 
vals  by  which  the  enemy  can  penetrate  between  corps  formed 
in  order  of  battle,  unless  it  be  to  draw  him  into  a  snare. 

In  the  campaign  of  1757,  the  Prince  of  Lorraine,  who  was 
covering  Prague  with  the  Austrian  army,  perceived  the  Prus 
sians  threatening,  by  a  flank  movement,  to  turn  his  right.  He 
immediately  ordered  a  partial  change  of  front  by  throwing 
back  the  infantry  of  that  wino-,  so  as  to  form  a  right  angle 
with  the  rest  of  the  line.  But  this  manoeuvre  being  executed 
in  presence  of  the  enemy,  was  not  effected  without  some  dis 
order.  The  heads  of  the  columns  having  marched  too  quick, 
caused  the  rear  to  lengthen  out,  and  when  the  line  was  formed 
to  the  right,  a  large  interval  appeared  at  the  salient  angle. 
Frederick,  observing  this  error,  hastened  to  take  advantage 
of  it.  He  directed  his  centre  corps,  commanded  by  the  Duke 
of  Bevern,  to  throw  itself  into  this  opening,  and  by  this  ma 
noeuvre  decided  the  fate  of  the  battle. 

The  Prince  of  Lorraine  returned  to  Prague,  beaten  and 
pursued,  with  the  loss  of  16,000  men,  and  two  hundred  pieces 
of  cannon. 

It  should  be  observed  at  the  same  time,  that  this  operation 
of  throwing  a  corps  into  the  intervals  made  by  an  army  in 
line  of  battle,  should  never  be  attempted  unless  you  are  at 
least  equal  in  force,  and  have  an  opportunity  of  outflanking 
the  enemy  on  the  one  side  or  on  the  other ;  for  it  is  then  only 
you  can  hope  to  divide  his  army  in  the  centre,  and  insulate 
the  wings  entirely.  If  you  are  inferior  in  number,  you  run 
the  risk  of  being  stopped  by  the  reserve,  and  overpowered 
by  the  enemy's  wings,  which  may  deploy  upon  your  flank 
and  surround  you. 

X  L  I  X . 

The  right  ordering  of  an  army,  whether  in  marching,  fight 
ing,  or  encamping,  is  but  a  small  part  of  the  office  of  a  gene 
ral,  said  Socrates  :  for  he  must  likewise  take  care  that  none 


56  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


of  the  necessaries  of  war  be  wanting,  and  that  his  soldiers 
are  supplied  with  everything  needful,  as  well  for  their  health 
as  daily  subsistence.  He  should  be  diligent,  patient,  fruitful 
in  expedient,  quick  in  apprehension,  unwearied  in  labour; 
mildness  and  severity  must  each  have  their  place  in  him : 
equally  able  to  secure  his  own,  and  take  away  that  which 
belongeth  to  another.  Open,  yet  reserved ;  rapacious,  yet 
profuse ;  generous,  yet  avaricious :  cautious,  yet  bold ;  be 
sides  many  other  talents,  both  natural  and  acquired,  are 
necessary  for  him  who  would  discharge  properly  the  duties 
of  a  good  general.  Yet  I  do  not  esteem  the  right  disposition 
of  an  army  a  slight  thing;  on  the  contrary,  said  he,  nothing 
can  be  of  so  much  importance,  since,  without  order,  no  advan 
tage  can  arise  from  numbers  any  more  than  from  stones,  and 
bricks,  and  tiles,  and  timbers,  thrown  together  at  random ; 
but  when  they  are  disposed  in  their  proper  places,  we  may 
see  a  regular  edifice  arising,  which  afterward  becomes  no 
inconsiderable  part  of  our  possessions. 

L. 

When  the  enemy's  army  is  covered  by  a  river,  upon  which 
he  holds  several  tetes  de  ponts,  do  not  attack  in  front.  This 
would  divide  your  force  and  expose  you  to  be  turned.  Ap 
proach  the  river  in  echelon  of  columns,  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  leading  columns  shall  be  the  only  one  the  enemy  can 
attack  without  offering  you  his  flank.  In  the  meantime  let 
your  light  troops  occupy  the  bank,  and  when  you  have  de 
cided  on  the  point  of  passage,  rush  upon  it  and  fling  across 
your  bridge.  Observe,  that  the  point  of  passage  should  be 
always  at  a  distance  from  the  leading  echelon,  in  order  to 
deceive  the  enemy. 

If  you  occupy  a  town  or  village  on  the  bank  of  a  river, 
opposite  to  that  held  by  the  enemy,  it  is  an  advantage  to 
make  this  spot  the  crossing  point,  because  it  is  easier  to  cover 
your  carriages  and  reserve  artillery,  as  well  as  to  mask  the 
construction  of  your  bridge  in  a  town  than  in  the  open  coun 
try.  It  is  also  a  great  advantage  to  pass  a  river  opposite  a 
village  when  this  last  is  only  weakly  occupied ;  because  as 
soon  as  the  advanced  guard  reaches  the  other  side,  it  carries 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS. 


57 


this  post,  makes  a  lodgment,  and  by  throwing  up  a  few  de 
fensive  works,  converts  it  easily  into  a  tt'te  dc  pont. 

By  this  means,  the  rest  of  the  army  is  enabled  to  effect 
the  passage  with  facility. 

LI. 

From  the  moment  you  are  master  of  a  position  which  com 
mands  the  opposite  bank,  facilities  are  acquired  for  effecting 
the  passage  of  the  river;  above  all,  if  this  position  is  suffi 
ciently  extensive  to  place  upon  it  artillery  in  force.  This 
advantage  is  diminished,  if  the  river  is  more  than  six  hun 
dred  yards  in  breadth,  because  the  distance  being  out  of  the 
range  of  grape,  it  is  easy  for  the  troops  which  defend  the 
passage  to  line  the  bank  and  get  under  cover.  Hence  it  fol 
lows,  that  if  the  grenadiers  ordered  to  pass  the  river  for  the 
protection  of  the  bridge,  should  reach  the  other  side,  they 
would  be  destroyed  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  because  his 
batteries,  placed  at  the  distance  of  four  hundred  yards  from 
the  landing,  are  capable  of  the  most  destructive  effect, 
although  removed  above  one  thousand  yards  from  the  batte 
ries  of  the  crossing  force.  Thus  the  advantage  of  the  artil 
lery  would  be  exclusively  his.  For  the  same  reason,  the 
passage  is  impracticable  unless  you  succeed  in  surprising  the 
enemy,  and  are  protected  by  an  intermediate  island,  or  unless 
you  are  able  to  take  advantage  of  an  angle  in  the  river  to 
establish  a  cross-fire  upon  his  works.  In  this  case,  the  island 
or  angle  forms  a  natural  tete  de  pont,  and  gives  advantage  in 
artillery  to  the  attacking  army.  When  a  river  is  less  than 
one  hundred  and  twenty  yards  in  breadth,  and  you  have  a 
post  upon  the  other  side,  the  troops  which  are  thrown  across 
derive  such  advantage  from  the  protection  of  your  artillery, 
that,  however  small  the  angle  may  be.  it  is  impossible  for  the 
enemy  to  prevent  the  establishment  of  a  bridge.  In  this  case, 
the  most  skilful  generals,  when  they  have  discovered  the  pro 
ject  of  their  adversary,  and  brought  their  ow?n  army  to  the 
point  of  crossing,  usually  content  themselves  with  opposing 
the  passage  of  the  bridge,  by  forming  a  semicircle  round  its 
extremity,  as  round  the  opening  of  a  defile,  and  removing  to 


8 


58  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


the  distance  of  six  or  eight  hundred  yards  from  the  fire  of  the 
opposite  side. 

Frederick  observes,  that  the  passage  of  great  rivers  in  the 
presence  of  the  enemy,  is  one  of  the  most  delicate  operations 
in  war.  Success  on  these  occasions  depends  on  secrecy,  on 
the  rapidity  of  the  manoeuvres,  and  the  punctual  execution 
of  the  orders  given  for  the  movements  of  each  division.  To 
pass  such  an  obstacle  in  presence  of  an  enemy,  and  without 
his  knowledge,  it  is  necessary  not  only  that  the  previous  dis 
positions  should  be  wrell  conceived,  but  that  they  should  be 
executed  without  confusion. 

In  the  campaign  of  1705,  Prince  Eugene  of  Savoy,  wish 
ing  to  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  Prince  of  Piedmont, 
sought  for  a  favourable  point  at  which  to  force  the  passage  of 
the  Adda,  defended  at  that  time  by  the  French  army  under 
the  command  of  the  Duke  of  Vendome. 

After  having  selected  an  advantageous  situation,  Prince 
Eugene  erected  a  battery  of  twenty  pieces  of  cannon,  on  a 
position  which  commanded  the  entire  of  the  opposite  banks, 
and  covered  his  infantry  by  a  line  of  entrenched  parallels, 
constructed  on  the  slope  of  the  declivity. 

They  were  working  vigorously  at  the  bridge,  when  the 
Duke  of  Vendome  appeared  with  his  whole  army.  At  first 
he  seemed  determined  to  oppose  its  construction,  but  after 
having  examined  the  position  of  Prince  Eugene,  he  judged 
this  to  be  impracticable. 

He  therefore  placed  his  army  out  of  reach  of  the  prince's 
batteries,  resting  both  his  wings  upon  the  river,  so  as  to  form 
a  bow,  of  which  the  Adda  was  the  chord.  He  then  covered 
himself  with  entrenchments  and  abbatis,  and  was  thus  ena 
bled  to  charge  the  enemy's  columns  whenever  they  debouched 
from  the  bridge,  and  to  beat  them  in  detail. 

Eugene  having  reconnoitred  the  position  of  the  French, 
considered  the  passage  impossible.  He  therefore  withdrew 
the  bridge  and  broke  up  his  camp  during  the  night. 

L..II-. 

It  is  difficult  to  prevent  an  enemy  supplied  with  pontoons, 
from  crossing  a  river.  When  the  object  of  an  army  which 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  59 


defends  the  passage  is  to  cover  a  siege,  the  moment  the  gene 
ral  has  ascertained  his  inability  to  oppose  the  passage,  he 
should  take  measures  to  arrive  before  the  enemy,  at  an  inter 
mediate  position  between  the  river  he  defends  and  the  place 
he  desires  to  cover. 

Here  it  may  be  observed,  that  this  intermediate  position 
should  be  reconnoitred,  or  rather  well  entrenched,  before 
hand;  for  the  enemy  will  be  unable  to  make  an  offensive 
movement  against  the  corps  employed  in  the  siege,  until  he 
has  beaten  the  army  of  observation ;  and  this  last,  under 
cover  of  its  camp,  may  always  await  a  favourable  opportu 
nity  to  attack  him  in  flank  or  in  rear. 

Besides,  the  army  which  is  once  entrenched  in  this  manner, 
has  the  advantage  of  being  concentrated ;  while  that  of  the 
enemy  must  act  in  detachments,  if  he  wishes  to  cover  his 
bridge  and  wratch  the  movements  of  the  army  of  observation, 
so  as  to  enable  him  to  attack  the  besieging  corps  in  its  line, 
without  being  exposed  to  an  attempt  on  his  rear,  or  being 
menaced  with  the  loss  of  his  bridge. 

LIII. 

In  the  campaign  of  1645,  Turenne  was  attacked  with  his 
army  before  Philipsburg,  by  a  very  superior  force.     There 
was  no  bridge  here  over  the  Rhine,  but  he  took  advantage  o 
the  ground  between  the  river  and  the  place  to  establish  his 
camp.     This  should  serve  as  a  lesson  to  engineer  officers,  no 
merely  in  the  construction  of  fortresses,  but  of  tetes  de  pont 
A  space  should  always  be  left  between  the  fortress  and  the 
river,  where  an  army  may  form  and  rally  without  being 
obliged  to  throw  itself  into  the  place,  and  thereby  compro 
|  mise  its  security.     An  army  retiring  upon  Mayence  before  a 
pursuing  enemy,  is  necessarily  compromised ;  for  this  reason 
because  it  requires  more  than  a  day  to  pass  the  bridge,  and 
because  the  lines  of  Cassel  are  too  confined  to  admit  an  arm 
to  remain  there  without  being  blocked  up.     Four  hundred 
yards  should  have  been  left  between  that  place  and  the  Rhine 
It  is  essential,  that  all  tetes  de  pontbefore  great  rivers  shoul 
be  constructed  upon  this  principle,  otherwise  they  will  prove 
a  very  inefficient  assistance  to  protect  the  passage  of  a  re 


60  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 

treating  army.  Tetes  de  pont,  as  laid  down  in  the  French 
schools,  are  of  use  only  for  small  rivers,  the  passage  of  which 
is  comparatively  short. 

Marshal  Saxe,  in  the  campaign  of  1741,  having  passed  the 
Moldau  in  quest  of  a  detachment  of  14,000  men,  which  was 
about  to  throw  itself  into  Prague,  left  a  thousand  infantry 
upon  that  river,  with  orders  to  entrench  themselves  upon  a 
height  directly  opposite  the  tete  de  pont.  By  this  precaution 
the  marshal  secured  his  retreat,  and  also  the  facility  of  repass- 
ing  the  bridge  without  disorder,  by  rallying  his  divisions 
between  the  entrenched  height  and  the  tete  de  pont. 

LIV. 

Encampments  of  the  same  army  should  always  be  formed 
so  as  to  protect  each  other. 

At  the  battle  of  Dresden,  in  the  campaign  of  1813,  the 
camp  of  the  allies,  although  advantageously  placed  upon  the 
heights  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Elbe,  was  nevertheless  ex 
tremely  defective,  being  traversed  longitudinally  by  a  deep 
ravine,  which  separated  the  left  wing  completely  from  the 
centre  and  the  heights.  This  vicious  formation  did  not  escape 
the  penetrating  eye  of  Napoleon.  He  instantly  carried  the 
whole  of  his  cavalry  and  two  corps  of  infantry  against  the 
insulated  wing,  attacked  it  with  superior  numbers,  overthrew 
it,  and  took  10,000  prisoners  before  it  was  possible  to  come 
to  its  support. 

LV. 

Lloyd  says  that  sieges  should  never  be  undertaken  but 
with  the  following  views:  1st,  when  fortresses  are  situated 
upon  the  passages  which  lead  to  the  enemy,  so  as  to  render 
it  impossible  to  penetrate  without  capturing  them ;  2d,  when 
they  intercept  the  communications,  and  the  country  is  unable 
to  furnish  the  necessary  subsistence;  3d,  when  they  are 
wanted  to  cover  magazines  formed  in  the  country,  and  thereby 
to  facilitate  the  operations ;  4th,  when  the  enemy  has  consi 
derable  depots  within  the  fortress,  of  which  he  is  absolutely 
in  want ;  5th,  when  the  capture  of  a  fortress  produces  the 
conquest  of  a  considerable  tract  of  country,  and  enables  the 
besiegers  to  winter  in  that  vicinity.  To  these  may  be  added, 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  61 


Hh,  the  recapture  of  a  fortress  essential  in  the  defence  of  a 
rontier. 

As  Lloyd  has  just  told  us  when  to  undertake  a  siege,  we 
will  now  hear  Napoleon,  who  tells  us  how  to  do  it. 

There  are  only  two  ways  of  insuring  the  success  of  a 
siege.  The  first,  to  begin  by  beating  the  enemy's  army  em- 
>loyed  to  cover  the  place ;  forcing  it  out  of  the  field,  and 
throwing  its  remains  beyond  some  great  natural  obstacle,  such 
as  a  chain  of  mountains  or  large  river.  Having  accomplished 
this  object,  an  army  of  observation  should  be  placed  behind 
the  natural  obstacle,  until  the  trenches  are  finished  and  the 
place  taken. 

But  if  it  be  desired  to  take  the  place  in  presence  of  a  reliev- 
ng  army  without  risking  a  battle,  then  the  whole  material 
and  equipment  for  a  siege  are  necessary  to  begin  with,  toge 
ther  with  ammunition  and  provisions  for  the  presumed  period 
of  its  duration,  and  also  lines  of  contravallation  and  circum- 
vailation,  aided  by  all  the  localities  of  heights,  woods,  marshes 
and  inundations. 

Having  no  longer  occasion  to  keep  up  communications  with 
your  depots,  it  is  now  only  requisite  to  hold  in  check  the 
relieving  army.  For  this  purpose  an  army  of  observation 
should  be  formed,  whose  business  it  is  never  to  lose  sight  of 
that  of  the  enemy,  and  which,  while  it  effectually  bars  all 
access  to  the  place,  has  always  time  enough  to  arrive  upon 
his  flanks  or  rear  in  case  he  should  attempt  to  steal  a  march. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  too,  that  by  profiting  judiciously 
by  the  lines  of  contravallation,  a  portion  of  the  besieging 
arroy  will  always  be  available  in  giving  battle  to  the  ap 
proaching  enemy. 

Upon  the  same  general  principle,  when  a  place  is  to  be 
besieged  in  presence  of  an  enemy's  army,  it  is  necessary  to 
cover  the  siege  by  lines  of  circumvattation. 

If  the  besieging  force  is  of  numerical  strength  enough 
(after  leaving  a  corps  before  the  place  four  times  the  amount 
of  the  garrison)  to  cope  with  the  relieving  army,  it  may 
remove  more  than  one  day's  march  from  the  place ;  but  if  it 
is  inferior  in  numbers,  after  providing  for  the  siege  as  above 


62  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 

stated,  it  shbuld  remain  only  a  short  day  from  the  spot,  in 
order  to  fall  back  upon  its  lines  if  necessary,  or  receive  suc 
cour  in  case  of  attack. 

If  the  investing  corps  and  army  of  observation  are  only 
equal,  when  united,  to  the  relieving  force,  the  besieging  army 
should  remain  entire,  within  or  near  its  lines,  and  push  the 
works  and  the  siege  with  the  greatest  activity. 

When  we  undertake  a  siege,  says  Montecuculli,  we  should 
not  seek  to  place  ourselves  opposite  the  weakest  part  of  the 
fortress,  but  at  the  point  most  favourable  for  establishing  a 
camp  and  executing  the  designs  we  have  in  view.  This 
maxim  was  well  understood  by  the  Duke  of  Warwick.  Sent 
to  form  the  siege  of  Nice,  in  1706,  he  determined  to  attack 
on  the  side  of  Montalban,  contrary  to  the  advice  of  Vauban, 
and  even  to  the  orders  of  the  king.  Having  a  very  small 
army  at  his  disposal,  he  began  by  securing  his  camp.  This 
he  did  by  constructing  redoubts  upon  the  heights  that  shut 
in  the  space  between  the  Var  and  the  Paillon,  two  rivers 
which  supported  his  flanks.  By  this  means  he  protected  him 
self  against  a  surprise ;  for,  the  Duke  of  Savoy  having  the 
power  of  debouching  suddenly  by  the  Col  de  Tende,  it  was 
necessary  that  the  marshal  should  be  enabled  to  move  rapidly 
upon  his  adversary,  and  fight  him  before  he  got  into  position, 
otherwise  his  inferiority  in  numbers  would  have  obliged  him 
to  raise  the  siege. 

When  Marshal  Saxe  was  besieging  Brussels  with  only 
28,000  men,  opposed  to  a  garrison  of  12,000,  he  received 
I  intelligence  that  the  Prince  of  Waldeck  was  assembling  his 
forces  to  raise  the  siege.     Not  being  strong  enough  to  form 
an  army  of  observation,  the  marshal  reconnoitred  the  field  of 
I  battle  on  the  little  river  Volave,  and  made  all  the  necessary 
dispositions  for  moving  rapidly  to  the  spot  in  case  of  the  ap 
proach  of  the  enemy.     By  this  means  he  was  prepared  to 
receive  his  adversary  without  discontinuing  the  operations  of 
the  siege. 

LVI. 

If  circumstances  prevent  a  sufficient  garrison  being  left  to 
defend  a  fortified  town  which  contains  an  hospital  and  maga- 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  63 


zines,  at  least  every  means  should  be  employed  to  secure  the 
citadel  against  a  coup  de  mam. 

A  few  battalions  dispersed  about  a  town  inspire  no  ter 
ror,  but  shut  up  in  the  narrow  outline  of  a  citadel,  they 
assume  an  imposing  attitude.  For  this  reason  it  appears  that 
such  a  precaution  is  always  necessary,  not  only  in  fortresses, 
but  wherever  there  are  hospitals  or  depots  of  any  kind. 
Where  there  is  no  citadel,  some  quarter  of  the  town  should 
be  fixed  upon  most  favourable  for  defence,  and  entrenched  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  oppose  the  greatest  resistance  possible. 

LVII. 

A  fortified  place  can  only  protect  the  garrison  and  arrest 
the  enemy  for  a  certain  time.  When  this  time  has  elapsed, 
and  the  defences  are  destroyed,  the  garrison  should  lay  down 
its  arms.  All  civilized  nations  are  agreed  on  this  point,  and 
there  never  has  been  an  argument  except  with  reference  to 
the  greater  or  less  degree  of  defence  which  a  defender  is 
bound  to  make  before  he  capitulates.  At  the  same  time, 
there  are  generals,  Villars  among  the  number,  who  are  of 
opinion  that  the  commander  should  never  surrender,  but  that 
in  the  last  extremity  he  should  blow  up  the  fortifications,  and 
take  advantage  of  the  night  to  cut  his  way  through  the  be 
sieging  army.  Where  he  is  unable  to  blow  up  the  fortifica 
tions,  he  may  always  retire,  they  say,  with  the  garrison,  and 
save  the  men. 

Officers  who  have  adopted  this  line  of  conduct,  have  often 
brought  off  three-fourths  of  their  garrison. 

In  1705  the  French,  who  were  besieged  in  Haguenau  by 
Count  Thungen,  found  themselves  incapable  of  sustaining  an 
assault.  Peri,  the  governor,  who  had  already  distinguished 
himself  by  a  vigorous  defence,  despairing  of  being  allowed 
to  capitulate  on  any  terms  short  of  becoming  prisoners  of 
war,  resolved  to  abandon  the  place,  and  cut  his  way  through 
the  besiegers. 

In  order  to  conceal  his  intention  more  effectually,  and, 
while  he  deceived  the  enemy,  to  sound  at  the  same  time  the 
disposition  of  his  officers,  he  assembled  a  council  of  war,  and 
declared  his  resolution  to  die  in  the  breach.  Then,  under 


64  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


pretext  of  the  extremity  to  which  he  was  reduced,  he  com 
manded  the  whole  garrison  under  arms,  and  leaving  only  a 
few  sharp-shooters  in  the  breach,  gave  the  order  to  march, 
and  set  out  in  silence  under  cover  of  the  night  from  Haguenau. 
This  audacious  enterprise  was  crowned  with  success,  and 
Peri  reached  Savernc  without  having  suffered  the  smallest 
loss. 

In  a  situation  like  this,  much  depends  upon  circumstances 
as  to  the  course  most  proper  to  be  pursued.  As  all  real 
strength  is  founded  in  the  mind,  the  courage  and  abilities  of 
the  officers  and  the  spirit  of  the  soldiers  are  among  the  pri 
mary  considerations. 

LVIII. 

The  keys  of  a  fortress  are  well  worth  the  retirement  of  the 
garrison,  when  it  is  resolved  to  yield  only  on  those  condi 
tions.  On  this  principle,  it  is  always  wiser  to  grant  an  ho 
nourable  capitulation  to  a  garrison,  which  has  made  a  vigor 
ous  resistance,  than  to  risk  an  assault. 

Marshal  Villars  has  observed,  that  no  commander  of  a 
place  should  be  permitted  to  excuse  himself  for  surrendering, 
on  the  ground  of  wishing  to  preserve  his  troops.  Every  gar 
rison  that  displays  courage  will  escape  being  prisoners  of 
war ;  for  there  is  no  general  who,  however  well  assured  of 
carrying  a  place  by  assault,  will  not  prefer  granting  terms 
of  capitulation,  rather  than  risk  the  loss  of  a  thousand  men 
in  forcing  determined  troops  to  surrender. 

LIX. 

A  general  can  only  bring  his  soldiers  to  obedience  by  con 
vincing  them  of  his  superior  knowledge  and  skill ;  for,  says 
Socrates,  all  men  willingly  submit  to  those  whom  they  believe 
the  most  skilful ;  in  sickness,  to  the  best  physician ;  in  a  storm, 
to  the  best  pilot. 

This  maxim  is  too  obvious  to  require  any  illustration,  a 
number  of  which  we  might  find  in  our  own  country,  but  all 
these  we  shall  reserve  until  we  come  to  describe  the  Ameri 
can  campaigns. 

LX. 

Infantry,  cavalry,  and  artillery,  are  nothing  without  each 


MI  LIT  AIRY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  65 


other.     They  should  always  be  so  disposed  in  cantonments 
as  to  assist  each  other  in  case  of  surprise. 

A  general,  says  Frederick,  should  direct  his  whole  atten 
tion  to  the  tranquillity  of  his  cantonments,  in  order  that  the 
soldier  may  be  relieved  from  all  anxiety,  and  repose  in  secu 
rity  from  his  fatigues.  With  this  view,  care  should  be  taken 
that  the  troops  are  able  to  form  rapidly  upon  ground  which 
has  been  previously  reconnoitred ;  that  the  generals  remain 
always  with  their  divisions  or  brigades,  and  that  the  service 
is  carried  on  throughout  with  exactness. 

LXI. 

The  practice  of  mixing  small  bodies  of  infantry  and  cav 
alry  together  is  a  bad  one,  and  attended  with  many  inconve 
niences.  The  cavalry  loses  its  powers  of  action ;  it  becomes 
fettered  in  all  its  movements ;  its  energy  is  destroyed ;  even 
the  infantry  itself  is  compromised,  for  on  the  first  movement 
of  the  cavalry  it  is  left  without  support.  The  best  mode  of 
protecting  cavalry  is  to  cover  its  flanks. 

LXI  I. 

Charges  of  cavalry  are  equally  useful  at  the  beginning,  the 
middle,  and  the  end  of  a  battle.  They  should  be  made, 
always,  if  possible,  on  the  flank  of  the  infantry,  especially 
when  this  last  is  engaged  in  front. 

The  Archduke  Charles,  in  speaking  of  cavalry,  recommends 
that  it  should  be  brought  in  mass  upon  a  decisive  point,  when 
the  moment  of  employing  it  arrives ;  that  is  to  say,  when  it 
can  attack  with  a  certainty  of  success.  As  the  rapidity  of 
its  movements  enables  cavalry  to  act  along  the  whole  line  in 
the  same  day,  the  general  who  commands  it  should  keep  it 
together  as  much  as  possible,  and  avoid  dividing  it  into  many 
detachments.  When  the  nature  of  the  ground  admits  of 
cavalry  being  employed  on  all  points  of  the  line,  it  is  desi 
rable  to  form  it  in  columns  behind  the  infantry,  and  in  a 
position  whence  it  may  be  easily  directed  wherever  it  is 
required.  If  cavalry  is  intended  to  cover  a  position,  it  should 
be  placed  sufficiently  in  the  rear  to  meet  at  full  speed  any 
advance  of  troops  coming  to  attack  that  position.  If  it  is 


66  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


destined  to  cover  the  flank  of  the  infantry,  it  should,  for  the 
same  reason,  be  placed  directly  behind  it.  As  the  object  of 
cavalry  is  purely  offensive,  it  should  be  a  rule  to  form  it  at 
such  a  distance  only  from  the  point  of  collision,  as  to  enable 
it  to  acquire  its  utmost  impulse,  and  arrive  at  the  top  of  its 
speed  into  action.  With  respect  to  the  cavalry  reserve,  this 
should  only  be  employed  at  the  end  of  a  battle,  either  to  ren 
der  the  success  more  decisive,  or  to  cover  the  retreat. 

Napoleon  remarks  that,  at  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  the  ca 
valry  of  the  guard,  which  composed  the  reserve,  was  engaged 
against  his  orders.  He  complains  of  having  been  deprived 
from  five  o'clock  of  the  use  of  this  reserve,  which,  when  well 
employed,  had  so  often  insured  him  the  victory. 

LXIII. 

It  is  not  only  the  business  of  cavalry  to  follow  up  the  vic 
tory  and  prevent  the  beaten  enemy  from  rallying,  but  it  is 
of  the  greatest  importance  to  victor  or  vanquished  to  have  a 
body  of  cavalry  in  reserve  to  take  advantage  of  victory,  or 
to  secure  retreat. 

LXIV. 

Artillery  is  more  essential  to  cavalry  than  to  infantry,  be 
cause  cavalry  has  no  fire  for  its  defence,  but  depends  upon 
the  sabre.  It  is  to  remedy  this  deficiency  that  recourse  has 
been  had  to  horse  artillery.  Cavalry,  therefore,  should  never 
be  without  cannon,  whether  when  attacking,  rallying,  or  in 
position. 

Horse  artillery  is  an  invention  of  Frederick.  Austria  lost 
no  time  in  introducing  it  into  her  armies,  although  in  an  im 
perfect  degree.  It  was  only  in  1792,  that  this  arm  was 
adopted  in  France,  where  it  was  brought  rapidly  to  its  pre 
sent  perfection. 

LXV. 

Artillery  should  always  be  placed  in  the  most  advantageous 
positions,  and  as  far  in  front  of  the  line  of  cavalry  and  infan 
try,  without  compromising  the  safety  of  the  guns,  as  possible. 

Field  batteries  should  command  the  whole  country  round, 
from  the  level  of  the  platform.  They  should  on  no  account 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  67 


be  masked  on  the  right  and  left,  but  have  free  range  in  every 
direction. 

The  battery  of  eighteen  pieces  of  cannon,  which  covered 
the  centre  of  the  Russian  army  at  the  battle  of  La  Moskwa 
(Borodino),  may  be  cited  as  an  example. 

Its  position,  upon  a  circular  height  which  commanded  the 
field  in  every  direction,  added  so  powerfully  to  its  effects,  that 
its  fire  alone  sufficed,  for  a  considerable  time,  to  paralyze  the 
vigorous  attack  made  by  the  French  with  their  right.  Al 
though  twice  broken,  the  left  of  the  Russian  army  closed  to 
this  battery,  as  to  a  pivot,  and  twice  recovered  its  former 
position.  After  repeated  attacks,  conducted  with  a  rare  intre 
pidity,  the  battery  was  at  length  carried  by  the  French,  but 
not  till  they  had  lost  the  elite  of  their  army,  and  with  it  the 
generals  Caulincourt  and  Montbrun.  Its  capture  decided  the 
retreat  of  the  Russian  left. 

LXVI. 

All  information  obtained  from  prisoners  should  be  received 
with  caution,  and  estimated  at  its  real  value.  A  soldier  sel 
dom  sees  anything  beyond  his  company ;  and  an  officer  can 
afford  intelligence  of  little  more  than  the  position  and  move 
ments  of  the  division  to  which  his  regiment  belongs.  On  this 
account,  the  general  of  an  army  should  never  depend  upon 
the  information  derived  from  prisoners,  unless  it  agrees  with 
the  reports  received  from  the  advanced  guards,  in  reference 
to  the  positions,  &c.,  of  the  enemy. 

Montecuculli  wisely  observes,  that  prisoners  should  be  in 
terrogated  separately,  in  order  to  ascertain,  by  the  agreement 
in  their  answers,  how  far  they  may  be  endeavouring  to  mis 
lead  you. 

LXVII. 

There  is  but  one  honourable  mode  of  becoming  prisoners  of 
war.  That  is  by  being  taken  separately ;  by  which  is  meant, 
by  being  cut  off  entirely,  and  when  we  can  no  longer  make 
use  of  our  arms.  In  this  case  there  can  be  no  conditions,  for 
honour  can  impose  none :  we  yield  to  an  irresistible  fate. 

There  is  always  time  enough  to  surrender  prisoners  of  war. 
This  should  be  deferred,  therefore,  till  the  last  extremity. 


68  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


During  the  French  revolution,  the  captain  of  grenadiers, 
Dubrcnil,  of  the  37th  regiment  of  the  line,  having  been  sent 
on  a  detachment  with  his  company,  was  stopped  on  the  march 
by  a  large  party  of  Cossacks,  who  surrounded  him  on  every 
side.  Dubrenil  formed  his  little  force  into  square,  and  endea 
voured  to  gain  the  skirts  of  a  wood  (within  a  few  muskets' 
shot  of  the  spot  where  he  had  been  attacked),  and  reached  it 
with  very  little  loss.  But  as  soon  as  the  grenadiers  saw  this 
refuge  secured  to  them,  they  broke  and  fled,  leaving  their 
captain  and  a  few  brave  men,  who  were  resolved  not  to  aban 
don  him,  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy.  In  the  meantime  the 
fugitives,  who  had  rallied  in  the  depth  of  the  wood,  ashamed 
of  having  forsaken  their  leader,  came  to  the  resolution  of  res 
cuing  him  from  the  enemy  if  a  prisoner,  or  of  carrying  off 
his  body  if  he  had  fallen.  With  this  view  they  formed  once 
more  upon  the  outskirts,  and  opening  a  passage  with  their 
bayonets  through  the  cavalry,  penetrated  to  their  captain, 
who,  notwithstanding  seventeen  wounds,  was  defending  him 
self  still.  They  immediately  surrounded  him,  and  regained 
the  wood  with  little  loss.  This  shows  how  much  may  be 
achieved  in  war  by  determined  energy  and  sustained  resolu 
tion. 

LXVIIL 

The  first  qualification  of  a  general-in-chief  is  a  coo!  head — 
that  is,  a  head  which  receives  just  impressions,  and  estimates 
things  and  objects  at  their  real  value.  He  must  not  allow 
himself  to  be  elated  by  good  news,  or  depressed  by  bad. 

The  impressions  he  receives,  either  successively  or  simul 
taneously,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  should  be  so  classed  as  to 
take  up  only  the  exact  place  in  his  mind  which  they  deserve 
to  occupy ;  since  it  is  upon  a  just  comparison  of  the  weight 
due  to  different  impressions,  that  the  power  of  reasoning  and 
of  right  judgment  depends. 

Some  men  are  so  physically  and  morally  constituted  as  to 
see  everything  through  a  highly  coloured  medium.  They 
raise  up  a  picture  in  the  mind  on  every  slight  occasion,  and 
give  to  every  trivial  occurrence  a  dramatic  interest.  But 
whatever  knowledge,  or  talent,  or  courage,  or  other  good 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  69 

qualities  such  men  may  possess,  nature  has  not  formed  them 
for  the  command  of  armies,  or  the  direction  of  great  military 
operations. 

The  first  quality  of  a  general-in-ehief,  says  Montecuculli, 
is  a  great  knowledge  of  the  art  of  war.  This  is  not  intuitive, 
but  the  result  of  experience.  A  man  is  not  born  a  com 
mander;  he  must  become  one.  Not  to  be  anxious;  to  be 
always  cool ;  to  avoid  confusion  in  his  commands ;  never  to 
|  change  countenance ;  to  give  his  orders  in  the  midst  of  battle 
with  as  much  composure  as  if  he  were  perfectly  at  ease, — 
these  are  the  proofs  of  valour  in  a  general. 

To  encourage  the  timid ;  to  increase  the  number  of  the 
truly  brave;  to  revive  the  drooping  ardour  of  the  troops  in 
battle ;  to  rally  those  who  are  broken ;  to  bring  back  to  the 
charge  those  who  are  repulsed ;  to  find  resources  in  difficulty, 
and  success  even  amid  disaster ;  to  be  ready  at  a  moment  to 
devote  himself  if  necessary  for  the  welfare  of  his  country — 
these  are  the  actions  which  acquire  for  a  general  distinction 
and  renown. 

To  this  enumeration  may  be  added,  the  talent  of  discrimi 
nating  character,  and  of  employing  every  man  in  the  particu 
lar  post  which  nature  has  qualified  him  to  fill.  My  principal 
attention,  said  Marshal  Villars,  was  always  directed  to  the 
study  of  the  younger  generals.  Such  a  one  I  found  by  the 
boldness  of  his  character  fit  to  lead  a  column  of  attack.  An 
other,  from  a  disposition  naturally  cautious,  but  without  being 
deficient  in  courage,  more  perfectly  to  be  relied  on  for  the 
defence  of  a  place.  It  is  only  by  a  just  application  of  these 
personal  qualities  to  their  respective  objects,  that  it  is  possible 
to  command  success  in  war. 

LXIX. 

To  know  the  country  thoroughly ;  to  be  able  to  conduct  a 
reconnaissance  with  skill ;  to  superintend  the  transmission  of 
orders  promptly ;  to  lay  down  the  most  complicated  move 
ments  intelligibly,  but  in  a  few  words  and  with  simplicity ; 
these  are  the  leading  qualifications  which  should  distinguish 
an  officer  selected  for  the  head  of  the  staff. 

Formerly  the  duties  of  the  chief  of  the  staff  were  confined 


70  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY, 


to  the  necessary  preparations  for  carrying  the  plan  of  the 
campaign,  and  the  operations  resolved  on  by  the  general-in- 
chief,  into  effect.  In  a  battle  they  were  only  employed  in 
directing  movements,  and  superintending  their  execution. 
But  in  the  late  European  wars  the  officers  of  the  staff  were 
frequently  entrusted  with  the  command  of  a  column  of  attack, 
or  of  large  detachments,  when  the  general-in-chief  feared  to 
disclose  the  secret  of  his  plans  by  the  transmission  of  orders 
or  instructions.  Great  advantages  have  resulted  from  this 
innovation,  although  it  was  long  resisted.  By  this  means  the 
staff  have  been  enabled  to  perfect  their  theory  by  practice; 
and  they  have  acquired,  moreover,  the  esteem  of  the  soldiers 
and  junior  officers  of  the  line,  who  are  easily  led  to  think 
lightly  of  their  superiors,  whom  they  do  not  see  fighting  in 
the  ranks.  The  generals  who  have  held  the  arduous  situation 
of  chief  of  the  staff  during  the  wars  of  the  French  revolu 
tion,  have  almost  always  been  employed  in  the  different 
branches  of  the  profession.  Marshal  Berthier,  who  filled  so 
conspicuously  this  appointment  to  Napoleon,  was  distinguished 
by  all  the  essentials  of  a  general ;  he  possessed  calm,  and  at 
the  same  time  brilliant  courage,  excellent  judgment,  and  ap 
proved  experience.  He  bore  arms  during  half  a  century, 
made  war  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe,  opened  and  ter 
minated  thirty-two  campaigns.  In  his  youth  he  acquired, 
under  the  eye  of  his  father,  who  was  an  engineer  officer,  the 
talent  of  tracing  plans  and  finishing  them  with  exactness,  as 
well  as  the  preliminary  qualifications  necessary  to -form  a 
staff  officer.  Admitted  by  the  Prince  de  Lambesq  into  his 
regiment  of  dragoons,  he  was  taught  the  skilful  management 
of  his  horse  and  his  sword,  accomplishments  so  important  to 
a  soldier.  Attached  afterwards  to  the  staff  of  Count  Ro~ 
chambeavj  he  made  his  first  campaign  in  the  United  States, 
where  he  soon  began  to  distinguish  himself  by  his  valour, 
activity  and  talents.  His  subsequent  history  is  connected 
with  the  wars  of  Napoleon. 

LXX. 

Napoleon  says,  Gustavus  Adolphus,  Turenne,  and  Frede 
rick,  as  well   as  Alexander,  Hannibal  and  Caesar,  have  all 


MILITARY    MAXlMa     A>iJ>    WARLIKE    Ol'tlKATlOIV-i.  71 


acted  upon  the  same  principles.  These  have  beeti,  i 
their  forces  united — to  leave  uo  weak  pan  unprotected — to 
seize  with  rapidity  on  important  points.  He  then  advises  his 
generals  to  peruse  again  and  again  the  campaigns  of  Alexan 
der,  Hannibal,  Ctesar,  Gustavus  Adolphus,  Turenne,  Eugene 
and  Frederick  :  to  model  themselves  upon  them  as  the  means 
of  becoming  a  great  captain,  and  of  acquiring  the  secret  of 
the  art  of  war. 

L  XXI. 

Such  are  the  war  maxims  which  have  resulted  from  the 
experience  of  the  great  warriors  of  ancient  and  modern  times 
in  the  old  world. 

The  maxims  of  our  warriors  will  be  given  practically  here 
after,  when  it  will  be  seen  that  our  fundamental  maxim  is  to 
give  a  sound  beating  to  any  nation  that  sets  a  hostile  foot  on 
our  shores,  or  insults  our  flag  on  the  sea,  according  to  circum 
stances  ! — Illustrations.  Revolution,  the  late  War,  =&c. 

Principles  of  Dispositions  at  the  Battle  of  Waterloo. 

The  battle  of  Waterloo,  unquestionably  the  most  decisive 
event  of  the  late  awful  contest,  offers  so  many  instructive 
circumstances,  and  so  much  matter  for  deep  meditation,  in 
the  position  and  manoeuvres,  and  in  the  exhibition  of  the 
soundest,  maxims  of  war,  that  it  may  be  considered  as  a  gene 
ral  illustration  of  the  advanced  state  of  the  art  of  war  at  the 
present  period.  Without  entering  into  details,  the  minutiae 
of  which  are  apt  to  confuse,  we  shall  content  ourselves  with 
merely  pointing  out  the  principal  dispositive  features  which 
it  displays.  As  there  are  many  plans  more  or  less  correct, 
and  the  ground  is  generally  known,  the  remarks  which  we 
are  about,  to  offer  will  be  readily  understood  by  those  who 
have  any  elementary  knowledge  of  war.  When  Blucher  had 
retreated  from  Ligny,  and  the  Duke  of  Wellington  had  fallen 
back  from  Quatre  Bras,  he  occupied  the  position  of  -Mont  St. 
Jean,  determined  to  risk  a  battle  with  the  forces  lie  could  col 
lect  on  that  point.  Exclusively  of  the  Prussians,  whose 
severe  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  stragglers,  could  not  im 
mediately  be  re-organized  or  replaced,  but  by  the  expected 


THE    ARMY    ANI>    NAVY. 


arrival  of  the  corps  of  Bulow,  the  duke's  army  consisted  of 
about  eighty-one  battalions  and  eighty-seven  squadrons, 
which,  with  the  artillery,  may  have  amounted  to  66,700  men  : 
of  these,  upwards  of  thirty  battalions  and  as  many  squadrons 
had  never  been  in  action. 

This  mass  of  forces  was  posted  with  the  centre  diagonally 
across  and  in  front  of  the  forking  of  the  two  causeways  from 
Brussels  to  Charleroy  and  to  Nivelles ;  the  right  centre  be 
hind  the  chateau  of  Goumont,  and  the  left,  considerably 
refused,  passed  in  the  rear  of  La  Haye  Sainte,  along  the  cross 
road,  in  the  direction  of  Ohain :  behind  the  right  centre,  Lord 
Hill  placed  his  corps,  en  potence,  in  columns,  prepared  to  ma 
noeuvre  on  his  right,  on  the  small  plain  of  Braine  la  Leud ; 
or,  to  his  left,  to  sustain  the  centre.  In  and  about  Braine  la 
Leud  was  a  Netherland  division,  with  the  right  thrown  for 
ward,  and  covered  by  the  rivulet  Ham,  and  leaving  the  small 
plain  open  ;  a  kind  of  gorge  to  tempt  the  enemy  between  the 
two  sides  of  the  re-entering  angle  of  the  right  wing.  The 
Prussians  were  expected  to  debouch  through  the  woods  of 
Lasne,  towards  Planchenois,  which  would  form  the  left  into 
another  gorge,  or  re-entering  angle.  Thus  the  position  formed 
a  kind  of  open  W  (Fig.  15,  A  A  A  A  B  B),  with  the  chateau 
of  Goumont  at  the  summit  of  the  salient  angle,  covered  by  a 
plantation  of  wood  and  enclosures,  occupied  by  six  or  eight 
battalions ;  so  that  the  enemy  could  not  enfilade,  from  behind 
that  plantation,  either  of  the  faces  of  the  centre,  nor  approach 
on  either  of  the  causeways  which  passed  through  the  centre, 
without  presenting  his  flank.  Besides  this  point,  La  Haye 
Sainte,  a  stone  farm,  close  to  the  Chausse  of  Charleroy,  and 
farther  on  the  left  the  farm  of  Papelotte  and  chateau  of  Fri- 
chermont,  were  occupied.  The  whole  front  offered  a  gentle 
slope  towards  the  enemy,  and  in  the  rear  the  cavalry  was 
distributed  in  brigades,  each  in  two  lines,  covered  by  the 
rising  ground ;  and  the  artillery,  all  the  field-pieces  of  which 
were  nine-pounders  or  twelves,  formed  a  line  of  almost  con 
tiguous  batteries  along  the  front,  interspersed  with  howitzers 
and  rockets. 

By  the  returns  found  after  the  battle  it  appears  that  the 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS. 


10 


74  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


enemy  had  debouched  from  Charleroy  with  122,000  men,  ex 
clusive  of  the  reinforcements  that  joined  after  the  I5th  of 
June  :  of  these  lie  produced  on  the  field  of  battle  about  80,000 
men,  formed  in  concentrated  masses  on  both  sides  of  the 
Chausse  of  Charleroy,  and  gradually  advancing  the  right 
parallel  to  the  British  left  (C  C  C  C) ;  but  as  he  was  jealous 
of  the  woods  on  the  right,  he  formed  an  angle  to  the  rear,  and 
kept  his  reserves  far  back.  He  had  made  a  demonstration 
with  a  corps  of  cavalry  beyond  the  British  right,  towards 
Hal,  where  he  found  the  corps  of  General  Colvilie,  and  Prince 
Frederick  of  Orange,  with  two  divisions  posted  at  Tubise, 
Clabbeck,  and  Braine  le  Chateau,  to  cover  that  avenue  to 
Brussels.  Another  corps,  42,000  strong,  under  Grouchy,  was 
detached  to  his  right  upon  Wavre,  to  turn  the  allies,  pursue 
or  arrest  the  Prussians,  and  prevent  the  timely  junction  of 
Bulow.  Thus  the  dispositions  of  both  the  commanders  were 
combined  with  consummate  ability ;  Napoleon  operating  on 
the  system  of  throwing  two-thirds  of  his  masses  alternately 
on  either  side,  and  the  allies  in  combining  manoeuvres  to 
bring  a  superior  mass  on  the  decisive  point.  On  the  field, 
however,  the  problem  was  difficult  to  solve.  The  communi 
cation  with  France  was  open  only  by  the  roads  of  Charleroy 
and  Nivelles,  hence  the  enemy  could  not  quit  them  in  the 
attack ;  nor  could  he  gain  Brussels  by  any  other  avenue  than 
that  of  Waterloo ;  therefore,  to  possess  the  Chateau  of  Gou- 
mont,  without  which  he  could  not  arrive  at  the  position,  was 
the  natural  object  of  the  attack.  As  this  was  sustained  by 
the  mass  of  the  allied  army,  and  could  not  be  enfiladed,  his 
attacks  failed.  All  those  directed  on  the  road  of  Charleroy 
to  the  left  centre  were  necessarily  oblique,  and  exposed  to  the 
fire  in  flank  before  they  could  reach  their  opponents.  To 
have  risked  a  general  onset  of  all  his  masses,  before  the  Brit 
ish  were  thinned  and  exhausted,  he  knew,  under  the  circum 
stances  of  the  moment,  to  be  too  hazardous.  The  plain  of 
Braine  la  Leud  appeared  open ;  he  could  arrive  by  it ;  but 
that  very  circumstance  proved  that  the  enemy  was  prepared 
on  that  side.  To  have  turned  the  force  thither  would,  in  the 
first  place,  have  caused  the  loss  of  the  communication  by 


MILITARY    MAXIMS    AND    WARLIKE    OPERATIONS.  75 


Charleroy ;  and,  next,  facilitated  the  junction  of  the  Prus 
sians  ;  and,  besides,  the  corps  on  the  other  side  of  the  Hain 
flanked  the  advance,  and  could,  in  a  short  time,  be  sustained 
by  the  two  divisions  in  its  rear,  and  which  he  knew  to  be  at 
hand.  He  would,  therefore,  have  been  placed  between  two 
fires,  and  have  lost  his  point  of  retreat  upon  Charleroy ;  and 
the  road  by  Nivelles  might,  meantime,  be  cut  off  by  the 
troops  left  behind  at  Mons.  Again,  if  he  threw  his  masses 
towards  the  left,  he  only  went  to  meet  the  Prussians,  and  left 
the  British  masters  of  the  road  of  Nivelles,  and  possibly,  if 
he  advanced  far,  of  that  of  Charleroy.  He  entangled  him 
self  in  woods  and  defiles,  where  his  superior  cavalry  could 
not  act.  The  character  of  his  opponent  bespoke  immediate 
offensive  movements  from  the  moment  his  right  would  be  at 
liberty;  therefore  the  chances  were  again  in  favour  of  the 
enemy ;  yet  this  was  the  only  advantageous  side,  because  it 
brought  him  nearer  Grouchy,  and,  in  case  of  defeat,  he  could 
take  a  new  line  of  retreat  by  Namur.  He,  however,  preferred 
the  experiment  which  the  enthusiastic  valour  of  his  troops 
might  enable  him  to  make  ;  and  this  committed  him  so  deeply, 
that,  when  at  length  the  Prussians  appeared,  a  retreat  was 
no  longer  possible. 

These  observations  disprove  the  ignorant  assertion,  that 
little  skill  was  displayed  on  either  side.  The  generals  and 
the  soldiers  equally  did  their  duty  :  the  veteran  Blucher  be 
haved  with  just  prudence  in  keeping  so  long  back  from  the 
dangerous  manoeuvre  which  was  assigned  him ;  and  when  he 
saw  the  hostile  cavalry  destroyed,  he  acted  with  vigour  and 
skill.  As  for  Grouchy,  who  wrasted  his  time  in  forcing  the 
position  of  Wavre  across  the  Dyle,  everywhere  fordable,  his 
manoeuvres  show  that  he  felt  the  danger  of  his  movement, 
and  he  wisely  remained  on  the  banks.  Much  might  be  added 
upon  the  judgment  which  posted  the  corps  at  Wavre,  and 
another  at  Hal,  on  the  several  lines  of  retreat  which  the  allies 
could  take  in  case  of  defeat,  on  the  dispositions  of  the  artil 
lery,  the  squares  and  lines  formed  and  reduced  repeatedly, 
the  dispositions  and  effect  of  the  charges  of  cavalry,  the 
counter-offensive  of  the  Prussians,  the  general  charge  to  the 


76  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


ront,  and  fate  of  the  enemy's  squares ;  but  enough  has  been 
stated  to  recommend  the  study  of  a  battle  where  the  greatest 
commanders  and  the  best  manoeuvring  armies  in  Europe  strug 
gled  for  victory,  and  decided  whether  the  divine  right  of  kings 

hould  or  should  not  prevail. 
Having  thus  given  a  compilation  of  the  warlike  operations 

y  land,  we  shall  now  proceed  to  the  warlike  operations  at 
sea,  commencing  with  some  general  observations  upon  naval 
actions,  from  the  "  French  Naval  Tactics."  as  given  in  the 
Military  and  Naval  Magazine  of  1835. 


CHAPTER  II. 

WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT   SEA. 

IT  is  necessary,  in  fleets  as  well  as  in  single  vessels,  to  con 
sider  the  absolute  force,  or  material  strength,  resulting  from 
the  number  of  men  and  guns ;  and  the  relative  force,  which 
comprises  all  that  superiority  of  talents,  experience,  boldness, 
activity,  perseverance,  discipline,  in  short,  all  that  moral 
causes  can  add  to  the  chances  for  success. 

A  commander  cannot  double  the  number  of  his  men  or  his 
ships ;  but  he  may  cause  them  to  acquire  a  degree  of  relative 
force,  which  will  be  limited  only  by  the  extent  of  his  ability, 
and  the  confidence  which  it  inspires.  The  application  of  this 
principle  must  not,  ho\vever,  be  pushed  too  far ;  for  at  sea, 
where  there  is  no  permanent  position  to  be  occupied  or  main 
tained,  it  is  not  always  easy  to  preserve  for  a  long  time  an 
equality  between  unequal  material  forces,  when  in  presence 
of  each  other.  But,  if  the  commander  cannot  perform  im 
possibilities,  it  is  certain  that  he  may  supply,  to  a  certain 
extent,  the  want  of  numbers,  by  his  talents  for  command  or 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS    AT    SEA, 


by  the  excellence  of  his  preparatory  arrangements  :  he  may 
also  supply  the  want  of  numbers,  by  calling  to  his  aid,  when 
opportunities  may  offer,  that  principle  which  is  the  proper 
basis  of  every  military  system,  and  which  demands  a  vigor 
ous  and  powerful  attack  upon  a  weak  point  of  your  enemy. 

Thus,  in  consequence  of  an  acquired  superiority,  or  of  the 
effects  of  a  favourable  position,  or,  what  is  still  better,  by  a 
combination  of  both,  a  vessel  of  inferior  force  may  resist  an 
other  which  is  superior.  The  same  may  be  said  of  a  fleet  of 
inferior  numbers,  even  when  possessed  of  no  other  means  of 
balancing  that  inferiority  than  the  power  of  throwing  his 
whole,  or  a  superior  force,  on  a  part  of  the  opposing  fleet. 
In  this  sense,  skill  consists  in  obtaining  over  an  opponent  the 
advantage  of  absolute  force,  by  neutralizing  a  part  of  his, 
instead  of  attacking  the  whole,  and  engaging  with  equal 
chances  or  upon  equal  terms. 

This  being  granted,  it  is  apparent  that  as  the  power  of  a 
vessel  is  in  her  broadside,  whilst  her  bow  and  stern  are  com 
paratively  unarmed,  the  object  to  be  desired  in  actions  be 
tween  single  vessels  is  to  obtain  a  position,  either  permanent 
or  temporary,  which  will  place  the  broadside  on  the  bowr  or 
stern  of  the  enemy. 

By  analogy,  the  same  remark  will  apply  to  a  line  of  ves 
sels,  of  which  the  extremities  are  more  vulnerable  than  the 
other  parts.  An  attack  upon  one  of  these  extremities  should, 
therefore,  be  attempted,  since  the  object  of  the  assailant  ought 
generally  to  be  to  compel  a  part  of  the  fleet  of  the  enemy  to 
bear  the  fire  of  the  whole  of  his  own,  and  thus  to  destroy  it 
in  detail. 

These  observations  lead  to  some  remarks  upon  the  Line  of 
Battle,  and  upon  the  present  system  of  fleet  actions. 

A  very  close  line  of  ships,  which  move  like  one  body,  cer 
tainly  presents  a  formidable  front.  Each  ship,  besides  her 
own  force,  is  supported  by  her  connexion  with  others,  which 
increases  the  strength  of  all ;  a  combination  which  constitutes 
the  advantages  and  the  strength  of  the  line  of  battle.  But 
this  combination,  excellent  in  itself,  and  the  best  for  a  regular 
battle,  may  be  destroyed  by  a  change  of  wind,  by  a  loss  oi 


THE    ARMY    A1VD    NAVY. 


spars,  by  a  fault,  or  even  by  the  nature  of  the  attack  of  an 
enemy,  as  events  have  shown. 

The  art  of  war  is  necessarily  modified  by  time,  by  the 
opinions  of  men,  and  by  the  progress  of  the  arts  and  sciences, 
which  lead  to  new  discoveries.  .  Thus,  steam-vessels  have 
actually  changed  many  parts  of  the  maritime  system  of  Eu 
rope.  Half  a  century  since,  and  numerous  fleets  were  ar 
ranged  in  line ;  they  manoeuvred  long  and  ably  to  obtain,  by 
a  good  position,  a  partial  advantage.  A  cannonade  was  kept 
up  at  a  distance,  from  time  to  time,  and  generally  the  two 
fleets  were  able  to  renew7  the  contest  after  a  few  days,  scarcely 
weakened  by  the  injuries  which  a  small  number  of  their  ships 
had  sustained.  Since  about  the  close  of  the  war  of  the  inde 
pendence  of  the  United  States,  the  line  of  battle  has  been 
broken,  and  pell-mell  actions  fought,  not  accidentally,  but  in 
pursuance  of  previous  plans.  Less  art,  and  more  impetuosity, 
has  been  employed,  as  though  actuated  by  a  mutual  desire  to 
produce  entire  destruction,  or  at  least  great  results. 

In  the  present  situation  of  things,  belligerents  will  proba 
bly,  in  accordance  with  public  opinion,  strive  to  obtain 
prompt  and  decisive  effects.  Besides,  the  expense  of  large 
fleets  begins  to  excite  alarm ;  steam  navigation  has  also  begun 
to  furnish  its  aid,  if  not  for  distant  expeditions,  at  least  for 
those  operations  which  are  to  be  performed  upon  neighbour 
ing  coasts,  or  in  narrow  seas,  without  speaking  of  the  effects 
which  certain  improvements  in  artillery,  and  particularly  the 
use  of  shells,  may  produce. 

From  these  changes,  which  have  occurred  within  the  last 
fifty  years,  it  may  be  concluded  that  there  will  be  a  tendency 
to  diminish  the  numbers  of  ships  in  fleets,  and  that,  hereafter, 
less  attention  will  be  given  to  the  mere  arrangements  or  dis 
play  of  force,  and  that  greater  exertions  will  be  made  to 
come  to  close  quarters,  and  to  pdl-mell  actions,  or,  at  least, 
to  produce  decisive  effects,  at  the  expense  of  any  regular 
order  in  which  an  enemy  may  appear  to  place  too  much  con 
fidence. 

Thus  the  theory  of  battle  in  squadrons  is  so  far  definitively 
modified,  that  the  line  of  battle  is  no  longer  to  be  considered 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  79 


the  whole  of  the  system,  although  now  rendered  shorter  and 
more  manageable ;  but  rather  as  a  powerful  means  for  advan 
tageously  sustaining,  or  for  making  an  attack  which  will  be 
powerful,  and  often  followed  by  an  intermixture  of  the  con 
tending  ships.  Consequently,  if  battles  at  sea  become  more 
rare,  they  will  also  be  more  decisive :  success  will  always 
depend,  \vhen  numbers  are  equal,  upon  the  superiority  of 
relative  force,  and  upon  the  ability  with  which  the  attack 
may  be  conducted,  and,  still  more  than  ever,  upon  the  deter 
mination  of  brave  commanders,  attentive  to  sustain  each 
other,  in  defence  as  well  as  in  attack,  and  to  group  themselves 
together  against  opposing  groups  of  less  strength.  In  fact, 
it  would  be  vain  for  an  admiral  to  expect  the  successful  exe 
cution  of  measures  which  he  might  direct,  if  he  should  not. 
be  seconded  by  admirals  and  captains,  whose  bravery  and 
intelligence  could  supply  the  want  of  signals,  and  provide  at 
the  moment  for  everything  which  the  position  of  the  admiral 
and  the  rapidity  of  events  might  prevent  him  from  seeing  or 
directing.  Without  such  complete  and  well-founded  confi 
dence,  a  chief  cannot  act  with  decision ;  or,  in  other  words, 
he  cannot  succeed. 

If  it  is  only  by  profiting  with  vigour  and  promptitude  of  a 
first  advantage,  however  small  it  may  be,  that  others  more 
important  can  be  secured ;  in  the  same  manner,  it  is  only  by 
the  most  energetic  measures,  that  the  first  successes  of  an 
enemy  can  be  checked,  and  victory  wrested  from  him.  In 
such  circumstances,  less  regard  should  be  had  to  our  own 
injuries  than  to  those  of  the  enemy?  in  determining  to  con 
tinue  or  to  renew  the  contest. 

It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  the  preceding  remarks,  that 
the  science  of  combined  movements  has  lost  its  utility ;  on 
the  contrary,  since  battles  have  become  more  decisive,  it  is 
important  to  conduct  them  with  all  possible  ability,  or  to 
avoid  them  when  circumstances  are  unfavourable.  Besides, 
now,  as  formerly,  it  de»pends  at  least  as  much  on  skill  as  de- 
votedness,  to  supply  upon  occasions  the  want  of  numbers  or 
strength. 

If  the  system  of  fleet  actions  has  been  modified  by  the 


I  80  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 

progress  of  time,  so  also  have  those  between  single  vessels. 
At  a  period  when  many  of  the  distinguished  seamen  of  whom 
France  is  proud  fought  their  battles,  boarding  was  the  spe- 

I  cies  of  attack  which  was  exclusively  preferred;  but  this  has 
been  discontinued  for  a  long  time,  in  consequence  of  the  pro 
gress  of  naval  improvements. 

At  this  time,  more  than  ever,  actions  at  sea  are  battles  of 
artillery  and  of  manoeuvres,  and  the  officer  who,  preoccupied 
with  the  idea  of  boarding,  should  not  seek,  and  constantly 
endeavour  to  preserve,  a  position  favourable  for  the  use  of  his 
guns,  would  soon  experience  such  injuries  as  would  paralyze 
his  bravery,  by  depriving  him  of  the  power  of  profiting  of 

|  chances  for  boarding  which  might  afterwards  present  them- 

I  selves. 

The  means  of  securing  success  in  a  sea-fight,  is  to  use  the 
guns  skilfully ;  it  is,  therefore,  indispensable  that  thorough 
attention  should  be  given  to  their  exercise  beforehand ;  that 
the  captains  of  guns  and  others  should  be  good  marksmen ; 
and  that  the  whole  crewr  should  be  instructed  in  the  best 
manner  in  the  management  of  the  ship,  so  that  they  may  feel 
great  confidence  whenever  anything  is  to  be  undertaken  or 
executed.  A  ship,  thus  prepared,  may  suddenly  approach  an 
enemy  with  safety,  or,  if  necessary,  try  her  skill  in  inflicting 
gradual  injury,  by  well-directed  shot.  If  the  vessel  attacked 
is  to  leeward,  it  may  be  advantageous  for  her  to  steer  with 
the  wind  abeam,  under  a  press  of  sail,  to  compel  the  assail 
ant  to  do  the  same,  and  perhaps  interfere  with  the  use  of  his 
guns,  or,  by  repeatedly  changing  her  tack,  profit  by  the  posi 
tion  of  the  enemy,  who  must  approach  end  on.  The  assail 
ant,  if  to  windward,  will  determine  whether  it  will  be  best 
for  him  to  take  a  position  on  the  weather-bow  of  the  enemy, 
engage  upon  opposite  tacks,  then  go  about  and  place  himself 
on  the  weather-quarter,  which  is  often  the  best  position ;  or 
stand  across  his  stern  and  take  a  station  upon  the  lee-quarter, 
notwithstanding  the  inconveniences  of  that  situation :  which 
ever  may  be  adopted,  it  is  proper  to  observe,  that  an  injury 
inflicted  early  upon  the  enemy,  by  well-directed  shot,  may 
greatly  shorten  the  action. 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  81 

If  an  adversary  is  allowed  to  take  the  lead  in  manoeuvres, 
and  to  engage  at  that  distance  and  under  those  circumstances 
which  may  be  most  favourable  to  him ;  or  in  an  action,  broad 
side  to  broadside,  an  enemy  betrays  any  indecision,  and  an 
overwhelming  fire  shall  have  cleared  his  upper  decks,  then  a 
change  of  the  helm  only,  and  a  sudden  movement,  may  be  all 
that  is  necessary  to  finish  suddenly,  by  boarding,  an  action 
already  so  far  advanced  by  the  effect  of  the  guns.  It  may 
also  happen  that  some  failure  in  the  evolutions  of  the  enemy, 
or  some  new  error,  will  present  a  favourable  opportunity, 
which  an  able  opponent  will  not  fail  to  improve. 

In  fleets  and  squadrons,  in  the  disorder  of  a  broken  line 
and  intermixture  of  friends  and  foes,  opportunities  for  board 
ing  will  be  more  frequent  and  less  difficult.  The  result  will 
be  in  proportion  to  the  energies  of  the  measures  adopted. 

Circumstances  may  occur,  when,  notwithstanding  great 
disproportion  of  force,  a  vessel  may  save  others,  or  obtain 
favourable  chances  for  herself,  by  her  devotedness  or  her 
boldness  in  closing  so  near  an  enemy  as  to  inspire  a  fear  of 
being  boarded  under  circumstances  favourable  to  the  assail 
ant. 

As  respects  steam-vessels,  it  may  be  presumed  that,  as  they 
facilitate  sudden  movements,  they  may  second  the  ardour  and 
boldness  of  the  national  character. 

For  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  certain  predetermined 
modes,  and  to  supply  for  certain  details  the  insufficiency  of 
signals,  it  sometimes  happens  that  admirals  can  usefully  con 
fine  themselves  to  plans  of  operations,  of  which  they  furnish 
complete  explanations  to  the  captains  under  their  orders. 
These  plans  ought  to  be  few  in  number,  perfectly  simple  and 
clear,  and  the  explanations  short ;  for,  if  the  main  object  be 
longs  to  the  chief,  the  incidents  of  detail  necessarily  devolve 
upon  those  who  are  to  carry  it  into  execution. 

If  the  weather  fleet  has  the  great  advantage  of  being  mas 
ter  of  its  plans  of  attack,  the  lee  fleet  has  sometimes  the  ad 
vantage  of  the  faults  of  the  other.  Such  may  be  the  case 
when,  regardless  of  breaking  the  line  of  battle,  the  lee  fleet 
can  be  separated,  without  inconvenience,  into  two  or  three 

U 


82  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


divisions ;  provided  all  act  in  concert,  and  under  the  inspira 
tion  of  that  cool  bravery  which  usually  leads  to  success. 

The  most  general  remark  upon  this  question  is,  that  every 
plan  of  attack  is  good,  if  it  renders  a  part  of  the  force  of  the 
enemy  useless ;  or,  if  it  places  a  part  of  it  under  the  fire  of  a 
superior  force.  The  object  to  be  desired  being  always,  as 
has  already  been  observed,  to  have  the  superiority  upon  some 
point,  and  then  to  profit  suddenly  by  that  advantage. 

A  war  of  cruises,  by  detached  divisions,  within  proper 
limits,  and  in  connexion  with  some  general  plan  of  hostilities, 
may  have  its  influence  upon  the  final  result  of  a  war ;  this 
species  of  warfare  requires  that  the  squadrons  should  be 
commanded  by  able  and  active  chiefs,  who  have  great 
resources  in  themselves,  and  in  their  knowledge  of  the  locali 
ties  where  they  are  to  carry  the  war. 

Desirous  to  lay  before  our  readers  the  best  information  on 
warlike  operations,  we  shall  give,  entire,  the  illustrations  of 
naval  tactics  by  a  late  European  author,  which  will  be  a  new 
subject  to  many  unconnected  with  the  navy. 

By  Naval  Tactics  is  understood  the  art  of  arranging  fleets 
or  squadrons  in  such  an  order  or  disposition  as  may  be  most 
convenient  for  attacking  the  enemy,  defending  themselves,  or 
of  retreating  with  the  greatest  advantage.  Naval  tactics  are 
founded  on  those  principles  which  time  and  experience  have 
enabled  us  to  deduce  from  the  improved  state  of  modern 
naval  warfare,  which  has  occasioned  not  only  a  difference  in 
the  mode  of  constructing  the  working  ships,  but  even  in  the 
total  disposition  and  regulation  of  fleets  and  squadrons.  We 
here  propose  to  lay  down  the  general  principles  of  naval  tac 
tics,  and  to  describe,  as  briefly  as  is  consistent  with  perspi 
cuity,  the  most  improved  systems  which  have  been  adopted 
in  modern  times. 

Ordinary  Division  of  Fleets. 

Fleets  are  generally  divided  into  three  squadrons,  the  van, 
centre,  and  rear,  each  under  the  command  of  a  flag-officer. 
The  chief  in  command  of  a  fleet  leads  the  centre  division* 
while  the  van  is  commanded  by  the  second  in  command,  and 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  83 


the  rear  by  the  third.  Each  squadron  is  distinguished  by  the 
position  of  the  colours  in  the  ships  of  which  it  is  composed. 
Thus,  the  ships  of  the  centre  squadron  carry  their  pennants 
at  the  main-top-gallant  mast-head,  while  those  of  the  van 
division  have  their  pennants  at  the  fore-top-gallant  mast-head, 
and  those  of  the  rear  at  the  mizen-top-mast-head.  Each 
squadron,  as  far  as  possible,  consists  of  the  same  number  of 
ships,  and,  as  nearly  as  may  be,  of  the  same  force.  In  large 
|  fleets,  the  squadrons  are  sometimes  again  divided  in  a  similar 
manner.  In  the  usual  mode  of  forming  the  lines,  each  com 
manding  officer  arranges  his  ships  in  the  centre  of  his  own 
squadron,  and  thus  the  chief  commander  of  the  fleet  is  in  the 
centre  of  the  line.  When  no  enemy  is  in  sight,  the  sloops, 
store-ships,  fire-ships,  and  other  small  vessels,  are  dispersed 
to  windward  of  the  fleet,  that  they  may  be  more  easily  sup 
ported,  and  more  readily  answer  signals.  The  frigates  lie  to 
windward  of  the  van  and  rear  of  the  convoy ;  thus  keeping 
a  good  look-out,  and  keeping  the  small  vessels  in  their  proper 
station.  When  the  fleet  sails  in  three  columns,  the  centre 
still  keeps  in  the  middle,  while  the  van  and  rear  form  the 
starboard  or  the  larboard  column,  according  to  circumstances. 
These  arrangements  are  called  orders  of  sailing,  and  will  be 
better  understood  from  the  following  definitions. 

Definitions. 

The  starboard  line  of  bearing  is  that  line  on  which  the 
arranged  ships  of  a  fleet  bear  from  each  other  on  a  close- 
hauled  line,  whatever  course  they  may  be  steering ;  so  that 
when  the  ships  haul  their  wind  or  tack  together,  they  may 
be  on  a  line  close-hauled  upon  the  starboard  tack.  The  lar 
board  line  of  bearing  is  that  line  on  which  the  ships,  when 
hauling  their  wind  or  tacking  together,  may  be  formed  on  a 
line  close-hauled  on  the  larboard  tack.  The  ships  of  a  fleet 
are  said  to  be  on  a  line  abreast  when  their  keels  are  parallel 
to  each  other,  and  their  main-masts  lie  in  the  same  straight 
line.  Ships  are  said  to  be  in  a  line  on  the  bow  or  quarter 
when  they  are  arranged  in  a  straight  line,  cutting  their  keels 
obliquely  in  the  same  angle;  so  that,  reckoning  from  any 


84  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 

intermediate  ship,  the  ships  towards  one  extremity  of  the  line 
will  be  on  the  bow  of  that  ship,  while  those  towards  the  other 
extremity  will  be  on  her  quarter.  When  several  ships  in  the 
same  line  steer  the  same  course,  while  that  course  is  different 
from  the  line  of  sailing,  they  are  said  to  sail  chequerwise. 

When  the  ships  of  a  fleet,  arranged  in  any  of  the  orders  of 
sailing,  and  on  the  same  line,  perform  successively  the  same 
manoeuvre,  as  each  gets  into  the  wake  of  the  ship  that  leads 
the  van  of  the  line  or  squadron,  tacking  or  veering,  bearing 
away  or  coming  to  the  wind  in  the  same  point  of  the  wake 
of  the  leading  ship,  they  are  said  to  rnancsuvre  in  succession. 

Five  Others  of  Sailing. 

There  are  usually  reckoned  five  orders  of  sailing,  exclusive 

of  the  line  of  battle,  the  order  of  retreat,  &c.     In  the  first 

order  (see  Figs.  1  and  2),  the  fleet  is  arranged  on  the  star 

board  or  larboard  line  of  bearing,  all  the  ships  steering  the 

Fig.  1.  Fig.  2. 


same  course.  In  these  cases  the  fleet,  by  hauling  the  wind 
when  in  the  starboard  line,  as  in  Fig.  1,  will  be  ready  to  form 
the  line  on  the  starboard  tack  ;  and  when  ranged  on  the  lar 
board  line  of  bearing,  as  in  Fig.  2,  it  will,  by  tacking,  be 
ready  to  form  the  line  on  the  larboard  tack.  The  arrows 
annexed  to  the  diagrams  mark  the  direction  of  the  wind,  as 
in  ordinary  charts. 

The  first  order  of  sailing  is  now  seldom  employed,  except 
Y\cr.  3.  in  passing  through  a  narrow  strait. 

I  In  the  second  order  of  sailing,  the  fleet, 

steering  any  proper  course,  is  ranged 
A   f\T\   r\   f\  f\  r\  in  a  line  perpendicular  to  the  direction 
VJ   V)  VJ   V   V)  0  ^>  of  the  wind,  as  in  Fig.  3.  This  second 
order,  besides  being  equally  defective  with  the  former,  is  sub- 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  85 


ject  to  the  additional  disadvantage  of  rendering  it  extremely 
difficult  for  the  ships  to  tack,  without  each  ship  falling  on 
board  that  next  astern. 

In  the  third  order  of  sailing,  the  whole  fleet  is  close-hauled, 
and  ranged  on  the  two  lines  of  bearing,  so  as  to  form  an 
angle  of  twelve  points,  having  the  chief  Fig.  4. 

commander's  ship  (A,  Fig.  4)  in  the  an-  ¥ 

gular  point,  and  the  whole  fleet  steering 
the  same  course.  Thus,  supposing,  as  in 
the  figure,  the  wind  at  north,  the  star 
board  division  of  the  fleet  will  bear  W.N.W.  of  the  chief  in 
command,  and  the  larboard  E.N.E.  This  order,  in  small 
fleets  or  squadrons,  is  superior  to  either  of  the  former;  but 
when  the  fleet  is  numerous,  the  line  will  be  too  much  ex 
tended. 

In  the  fourth  order,  the  fleet  is  divided  into  six  or  more 
columns,  and  is  thus  more  concentrated.  The  commanders, 
ranged  on  the  two  lines  of  bearing,  have  their  squadrons 
astern  of  them,  on  two  lines  parallel  to  the  direction  of  the 
wind ;  the  first  ships  of  each  column  being,  wilii  respect  to 
the  commander  of  the  squadron,  the  one  on  his  starboard  and 
the  other  on  his  larboard  quarter.  The  distance  between  the 
columns  should  be  such  that  the  Fig.  5. 

fleet  may  readily  be  reduced  to  If 

the  third  order  of  sailing,  and    .      ,.  J  ^       /9      /9 

from  that  to  the  order  of  battle.  &  w  (f  (/  (x  & 
This  order  is  adapted  for  fleets  $  M  $  &  $  $ 
or  convoys  crossing  the  ocean,  ':  T 
and  is  represented  in  Fig.  5:  '0  $ 
but  as  it  requires  much  time  to  j 
reduce  a  fleet  from  this  order  to  $$jj/ 
that  of  battle,  it  is  defective 
when  in  presence  of  an  enemy. 

In  the  fifth  order,  the  fleet,  close-hauled,  is  arranged  in 
three  columns  parallel  to  each  other,  the  van  commonly  form 
ing  the  weather,  and  the  rear  the  lee  column.  See  Fig.  6. 
Fig.  7  represents  the  same  order,  except  that  each  colusnn  is 


86 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


here  subdivided  into  two,  with  the  ship  bearing  the  com 
mander  of  each  squadron  in  the  centre  of  each  subdivision. 

Fig.  7. 


Order  of  Battle. 

In  forming  the  order  or  line  of  battle,  the  ships  of  the  fleet 
are  drawn  up  in  a  line  nearly  close-hauled,  standing  under 
easy  sail,  so  that  each  ship  may  be  at  a  certain  distance  from 

the  ship  immediately  ahead* 
as  a  cable's  length,  or  half 
that  distance.  The  fire-ships 
and  frigates  ahead  and  astern, 

form  a  line  Parallel  to  the 
former,  and  to  the  windward 

°^  ^  if  tne  enemy  be  to  the 
leeward,  but  to  the  leeward 
if  the  enemy  be  to  wind 
ward.  This  order  is  denoted  by  Fig.  8,  where  the  fleet  is 
sailing  on  the  starboard  tack,  with  the  wind  at  north. 

Order  of  Retreat. 

When  a  fleet  is  compelled  to  retreat  before  a  superior 
force,  it  is  usually  arranged  in  an  order  the  reverse  of  the 
third  order  of  sailing  ;  the  divisions  of  the  fleet  being  ranged 
in  the  two  lines  of  bearing,  so  as  to  form  an  angle  of  135°,  or 
twelve  points,  the  commander's  ship  lying  in  the  angular  point, 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  87 

and  the  frigates,  transports,  (fee.,  included  within  the  wings 
to  leeward.     See  Fig.  9,  where  the  fleet  is  sailing  right  before 

Fig.  9. 


the  wind.     Though  any  other  direction  may  be  taken,  the 
two  lines  still  form  the  same  angle. 


•&' 


Order  of  Convoy, 

The  order  of  convoy  is  that  in  which  the  ships  are  all  in 
each  other's  wake,  steering  in  the  same  point  of  the  compass, 
and  forming  a  right  line.  x  If  the  fleet  is  numerous,  it  may  be 
divided  into  three  columns,  wrhich  are  to  be  ranged  parallel 
to  each  other,  that  of  the  chief  commander  occupying  the 
centre,  and  all  steering  the  same  course. 

Having  thus  described  the  ordinary  positions  of  a  fleet,  we 
must  explain  the  manreuvres  by  which  they  are  produced, 
and  we  shall  begin  with  the  orders  of  sailing. 

Method  to  form  the  First  Order  of  Sailing. 

To  form  a  fleet  in  the  first  order  of  sailing,  supposing  the 
ships  to  be  in  no  particular  order,  that  ship  which  is  to  lead 
on  the  proposed  line  of  bearing  for  the  order  of  sailing,  runs 
to  leeward  of  the  greater  part  of  the  fleet,  and  then  hauls 
her  wind  under  an  easy  sail.  Each  of  the  other  ships  then 
proceeds  to  take  the  proper  station,  by  chasing  the  ship  which 
is  to  be  ahead  of  her,  and  when  in  the  wake  of  the  leading 
ship,  adjusts  her  quantity  of  canvas  so  as  to  preserve  the 
proper  distance.  The  ships  thus  arranged  astern  of  each 
other  are  in  the  line  of  battle;  and  from  this  the  first  order 
of  sailing  is  formed,  by  each  ship  bearing  away  at  the  same 
time,  and  all  steering  the  proposed  course. 


88  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


Second  Order  of  Sailing. 

In  forming  the  second  order  of  sailing,  the  leading  ship 
runs  to  leeward  of  so  many  of  the  fleet  that  each  ship  may 
readily  fetch  her  wake,  and  then  steers  a  course  eight  points 
from  the  wind,  under  an  easy  sail.  The  line  is  formed  by 
each  ship  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  first  order,  except 
that,  before  bearing  away,  the  line  is  perpendicular  to  the 
direction  of  the  wind,  or  each  ship  has  the  wind  on  her  beam. 

Third  Order. 

As,  in  the  third  order  of  sailing,  the  chief  commander's 
ship  is  in  the  centre,  to  produce  this  position,  the  fleet  being 
formed  in  a  line  on  one  of  the  lines  of  bearing,  and  the  ships 
steering  in  each  other's  wake  ten  points  from  the  W7ind,  the 
leading  or  leewardmost  ship  first  hauls  her  wind.  The  second 
ship  does  the  same  as  soon  as  she  gets  into  the  wake  of  the 
former ;  and  this  is  done  by  each  ship,  till  the  chief  com 
mander's  ships  haul  their  wind,  when  they  reach  the  wake 
of  the  leading  ship.  At  the  same  time  that  the  chief  com 
mander's  ship  hauls  her  wind,  the  sternmost  half  of  the  fleet 
does  the  same.  The  ships  are  now  in  the  third  order  of  sail 
ing,  from  which  the  fleet  can  be  formed  in  the  line  of  battle 
on  either  tack. 

Fourth  Order. 

To  form  the  fourth  order  of  sailing,  the  commanding  chief 
officers  range  themselves  on  the  two  lines  of  bearing,  at  a 
proper  distance  from  each  other,  steering  the  proposed  course ; 
and  the  ships  of  the  several  columns  take  their  respective 
places,  parallel  to  each  other,  and  forming  lines  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  wind. 

Fifth  Order. 

To  form  the  fifth  order,  the  three  leading  ships  of  the  divi 
sion  take  their  posts  abreast  and  to  leeward  of  each  other, 
keeping  their  wind  under  an  easy  sail ;  then  the  ships  of  each 
squadron  make  sail,  and  take  their  respective  stations  at  the 
proper  distance  astern  of  their  leaders,  while  the  commanders 
of  each  division,  and  the  corresponding  ships  of  each,  keep 
mutually  abreast  of  each  other. 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  89 


To  fom  the  Line  of  Battle. 

I.  In  forming  from  the  first  order  of  sailing,  if  the  ships 
are  running  large  on  the  tack  that  answers  to  the  line  of  bear 
ing  on  which  they  sail,  and  if  the  line  is  to  be  formed  on  the 
same  tack,  all  the  ships  haul  their  wind  at  once,  or  as  quickly 
as  possible  after  the  next  to  windward ;  but  if  they  be  on  the 
other  tack  with  respect  to  the  line  of  bearing,  they  all  haul 
their  wind  and  tack  or  veer  together.  If  the  line  of  battle  is 
to  be  formed  on  the  other  line  of  bearing,  the  ship  most  to 
leeward  veers  or  tacks,  and  hauls  Fig.  10. 

her  wind,  while  the  rest  of  the 
fleet  veer  or  tack  at  the  same 
time,  and  steer  with  the  wind 
four  points  free,  and  each  ship 
"hauls  her  wind  as  soon  as  she 

gets  within  the  wake  of  the  leader.     See  Figs.  10  and  II. 

Fig.  11. 


Suppose  the  fleet  running  before  the  wind,  in  the  second 
order  of  sailing :  to  form  the  line  from  this  position,  all  the 
ships  haul  up  together  on  the  proper  tack,  presenting  their 
heads  eight  points  from  the  wind  at  the  line  on  which  they 
are  arranged ;  the  leading  ship  then  hauls  her  wind,  immedi 
ately  making  sail  or  Fig.  12. 
shortening  sail,  so 
as  to  close  or  open  ^, 
the  order;  and  the 
same  is  done  suc 
cessively  by  all  the  rest.  See  Fig.  12. 

In  a  fleet  running  large  in  the  third  order,  the  line  of  battle 
is  formed  by  the  wing  which  is  in  the  line  of  bearing  corre 
sponding  to  the  tack  on  which  the  line  is  to  be  formed,  and 

12  H* 


90 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


the  ship  at  the  angle,  hauling  their  wind  together,  while  the 
ships  of  the  other  wing  haul  up  together  eight  points  from  the 

Fig.  13. 


wind ;  each  ship  moving  in  this  direction  till  she  reach  the 
wake  of  the  other  wing,  when  she  hauls  close  up.  See 
Fig.  13. 

In  forming  the  line  of  battle  on  the  same  tack  from  the 
fifth  order  of  sailing  (as  the  fourth  is  not  calculated  for  form 
ing  a  line  of  battle),  the  centre  brings  to  so  as  only  to  keep 
steerage  way ;  the  weather  column  bears  away  two  points, 
and  when  it  gets  ahead  of  the  centre,  hauls  its  wind,  while 
the  ships  of  the  lee  column  tack  together,  and  crowd  sail  to 
gain  the  wake  of  the  centre,  when  they  re-tack  together,  and 
complete  the  line  (see  Fig.  14) ;  or  the  weather  column  brings 
to,  while  the  centre  and  lee  tack  together,  and  bear  away 

Fig.  14. 


two  points  free.  When  the  ships  of  the  centre  column  have 
gained  the  wake  of  the  van,  they  re-tack  together,  and  bring 
to ;  and  when  those  of  the  lee  have  gained  the  rear  line,  they 
re-tack  together,  and  all  stand  on ;  or,  lastly,  the  lee  column 
brings  to,  the  centre  runs  under  easy  sail  two  points  free,  to 
get  ahead  of  the  rear  squadron,  while  the  rear  bears  away 
under  the  press  of  sail  two  points  free,  to  get  ahead  of  the 
centre  division. 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  91 


2.  Suppose  the  weather  and  centre  columns  to  interchange. 
To  form  the  lee  under  these  circumstances,  the  centre  stands 
on,  while  the  weather  column  bears  away  eight  points,  and 
having  reached  the  wake  of  the  centre,  which  now  forms  the 
van,  hauls  up ;  the  ships  of  the  lee  column  tack  together  and 
run  under  a  press  of  sail,  within  two  points  free,  so  as  just 
to  gain  the  rear  of  the  line  when  they  re-tack  together  (see 
Fig.  15) ;  or  the  lee  column  brings  to.  while  the  centre  squad- 

Fi<r.  15, 


ron  bears  away  three  points  under  easy  sail,  and,  having 
reached  the  wake  of  the  van,  hauls  up  to  form  the  centre 
division. 

3.  Suppose  the  centre  and  lee  columns  to  interchange. 
The  lee  column  stands  on  close-hauled,  under  an  easy  sail 
the  weather  column  bears  a\vay  two  points,  under  a  press  ol 
sail,  till  it  reaches  the  head  of  the  line,  when  it  hauls  up 
and  the  centre  bears  away  eight  points,  and,  when  in  the 
wake  of  the  lee,  now  the  centre,  hauls  its  wind.     See  Fig.  16. 

Fig.  16. 


4.  If  the  weather  and  lee  columns  interchange,  the  lee 
column  stands  on  under  a  press  of  sail  close-hauled,  while  the 
centre,  under  easy  sail,  bears  away  two  points,  and  when  il 
reaches  the  wake  of  the  now  van  squadron,  hauls  its  wind 


92  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 

and  the  weather  column  bears  away  eight  points,  hauling  up 
when  in  the  wake  of  the  centre.     See  Fig.  17. 

Fig.  17. 


*v 

5.  Suppose  the  centre  column   to  form  the  van,  and  the 
weather  the  rear  division.     Here  the  lee  column  brings  to? 

•p-     jg  while   the    centre 

bears    away    two 

.    ,   \  v..#  points, forming  the 

\  \  \  \  '\  "*;-£5x^  line  ahead  of  the 

former,  now  the 
centre  ;  and  the 
weather  column 
veers  away  seven 
points  on  the  other 
tack,  forming  the 
rear  squadron.  See  Fig.  18. 

6.  To  form  the  line  so  that  the  lee  column  may  form  the 
van,  and  the  centre  the  rear,  the  lee  column  3s  to  stand  on 
under  a  press  of  sail,  while  the  weather  bears  away  three 
points  under  easy  sail,  and  the  centre  bears  away  eight  points, 
the  ships  of  each  column  hauling  their  wind  when  in  the 
wake  of  the  now  van  division.     See  Fig.  19. 

Fig  19. 


7.  If  the  line  of  battle  is  to  be  formed  on  the  other  tack,  so 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA. 


93 


that  the  weather  shall  form  the  van  division,  as  in  the  first 
case,  the  ships  of  the  weather  column  first  tack  successively, 
while  those  of  the  centre  and  pio.  20. 

lee  stand  on,  the  former  un 
der  easy  sail,  and  the  latter 
shortening  sail,  the  leading 
ships  tacking  when  in  the 
wake  of  the  now  van,  taking 
great  care  that  the  ships  of 
the  centre  and  lee  draw  not 
too  near  to  the  sternmost 
ships  of  the  van,  or  to  each 
other.  See  Fig.  20. 

8.  To  form  the  line  on  the  other  tack,  when  the  centre  and 
weather  columns  interchange,  the  weather  column  brings  to, 
while   the   centre    column  Fig.  21. 

stands  on  till  the  leading 
ship  be  fully  able  to  clear 
the  weather  column,  when 
the  ships  of  the  centre  tack 

successively,  as  they  reach          -^^_  """•* 

the  wake  of  the  van:  the 
lee  column  stands  on,  tack 
ing  successively  as  the  ships  get  into  the  wake  of  the  van, 
under  moderate  sail.     See  Fig.  21. 

9.  In  forming  the  Fig.  2-3. 
line   on    the   other 

tack,  when  the  cen 
tre  and  lee  inter 
change,  the  centre 
brings  to,  while  the 
ships  of  the  weather  ^C 
tack,  under  short 
ened  sail,  and  the 
lee  under  a  press  of 
sail,  stand  on ;  the 
leading  ship  having  gained  the  wake  of  the  line,  tacks,  and  is 
followed  in  succession  by  her  division.  The  centre  column 


94 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


fills  and  stands  on,  when  the  first  ship  of  that  column  and  the 
last  of  the  lee  bear  from  each  other  in  a  direction  perpendicu 
lar  to  that  of  the  wind.  See  Fig.  22. 

10.  To  form  on  this  same  tack,  so  that  the  weather  and 
lee  may  interchange,  the  weather  and  centre  bring  to,  while 
the  lee  crowds  sail  till  it  can  pass  ahead  of  the  weather 
column,  when  the  ships  tack  in  succession. 
Fig.  23. 


#* 


#£ 


"Q* 


"^.. 


As  soon  as  the 
leading  ship  of 
the  centre,  and 
the  last  of  the 

^"^  "^••'Qx  ^e,  bear    from 

""^Xs.  eacn  other  in  a 

^"X^x-^  ^ne  perpendicu 

lar  to  the  wind, 
the  centre   fills 
and  tacks  in  suc 
cession  when  in 
|  the  wake  of  the  now  van ;  and  the  ships  of  the  weather  column 
do  the  same  when  their  leading  ship  and  the  last  of  the  cen 
tre  are  under  similar  circumstances.     See  Fig.  23. 

1 1 .  Suppose  the  centre  is  to  form  the  van,  and  the  weather 

Fig.  24.  the  rear,  in  forming 

the  line  on  the  other 
tack.  The  weather 
brings  to,  while  the 
other  columns  make 
sail  till  they  can  pass 
ahead  of  the  former 
on  the  other  tack, 
when  they  tack  suc 
cessively.  The  wea 
ther  column,  when 

the  others  have  passed  it,  fills  and  tacks,  to  form  the  rear. 

See  Fig.  24. 

12.  Suppose  now  the  lee  column  is  to  form  the  van.     The 
weather  and  centre  bring  to,  while  the  lee  crowds  sail,  and 
tacks  when  it  can  pass  ahead  of  the  weather  column.     When 
the  last  ship  of  the  now  van  has  passed  to  windward  of  the 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS     AT    SEA. 


95 


former  weather  column,  the  van  shortens  sail,  to  give  time 
for  the  other  columns  to  form ;  and  the  weather  and  centre 

Fig.  25. 


fill  at  the  same  time,  to  gain  the  wake  of  the  van,  when  they 
tack  in  succession.     See  Fig.  25. 

To  form  the  Orders  of  Sailing  from  the  Line  of  Battle. 

We  must  now  show  how  a  fleet  may  be  disposed  in  the 
principal  orders  of  sailing  from  the  line  of  battle ;  and  here, 
as  before,  we  have  several  varieties. 

1 .  To  form  the  first  order  of  sailing  from  the  line  of  battle 
on  the  same  tack,  all  the  ships  are  to  bear  away  together  as 
many  points  as  the  chief  commander  may  direct,  keeping  in 
the  line  of  bearing  for  the  proper  tack.     The  sternmost  first 
bears  away,  and  the  others  follow  in  quick  succession,  to 
avoid  running  foul  of  each  other. 

2.  If  they  are  to  form  on  the  other  tack,  the  leading  ship 
bears  away  four  points  to  leeward,  and  the  rest  follow  in  suc 
cession.     The  sternmost  ship  having  bore  away,  the  whole 
haul  up,  and  will  be  in  bearing  for  the  line  on  the  other  tack. 

See  Fig.  26. 

Fig.  26. 


3.  To  form  the  second  order  of  sailing  from  the  line  of 
battle,  the  whole  fleet  is  to  bear  away  together  ten  points,  so 


96 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


Fig.  28. 


that  when  the  headmost  ship,  which  first  presses  sail,  shall 
come  abreast  of  the  second  ship,  the  second  ship  must  adapt 
FJO^  27 m  her  sail  to  keep  in  this  bear 

ing,  and  so  in  succession, each 
taking  care  to  keep  the  pre 
ceding  ship  in  a  line  with 
herself,  perpendicular  to  the 
direction  of  the  wind.  The 
whole  fleet  will  now  be  be 
fore  the  wind.  See  Fig.  27. 

4.  To  form  the  third  order,  the  whole  fleet  is  to  bear  away 
|  together  ten  points,  the  headmost  half,  including  the  centre 

ship,  carrying  a  degree  of  sail 
to  preserve  their  line  of  bear 
ing,  while  each  of  the  remain 
ing  ships  is  successively  to 
shorten  sail,  so  as  to  form  the 
other  line  of  bearing  with  re 
spect  to  that  on  which  they 
were  before  arranged.  See 
Fig.  28. 

5.  To  change  from  the  line  of  battle  to  the  fifth  order  on 
the  same  tack.     Of  this  evolution  there  are  several  varieties, 
but  we  shall  mention  only  two ;  first,  when  the  van  is  to  form 
the  weather,  and  the  rear  the  lee  column,  and  the  fleet  to 
keep  as  much  as  possible  to  windward.     In  this  case,  the  van 
and  centre  tack  together,  and  run  close-hauled  in  bow  and 
quarter  line,  while  the  rear  proceeds  in  its  former  course 
under  easy  sail.     When  each  ship  of  the  centre  is  abreast  of 
the  corresponding  ship  of  the  rear,  the  centre  re-tacks,  while 
the  van  stands  on  till  the  centre  and  rear  come  up,  when  it 
also  re-tacks,  and  all  the  columns  regulate  their  distances. 
Secondly,  when  the  van  is  to  form  the  lee,  and  the  rear  the 
weather  column,  the  van  bears  away  under  easy  sail,  and 
goes  at  right-angles  with  the  line  head,  while  the  centre  runs 
two  points  free,  each  ship  steering  for  that  ship  of  the  van 
which  is  to  be  abreast  of  her  when  in  column.     The  distance 
must  be  determined  by  the  leader  of  the  van,  who  is  not  to 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  97 


iaul  up  with  her  division  till  she  and  the  sternmost  ship  of 
the  centre  column  are  in  a  line  at  right-angles  with  the  wind, 
when  both  stand  on  under  easy  sail,  while  the  rear  crowds 
sail  to  pass  to  windward  of  both. 

6.  To  form  the  fifth  order  of  sailing  from  the  line  of  battle 
on  the  other  tack.  Of  this  there  are  also  several  varieties, 
but  we  shall  confine  ourselves  to  two.  First,  when  the  van 
is  to  form  the  weather,  and  the  rear  the  lee  column,  the  van 
tacks  in  succession,  while  the  leading  ship  of  the  centre  is  to 
tack,  when  the  leader  of  the  van  passes  him  exactly  to  wind 
ward,  in  which  she  is  followed  by  her  division ;  and  the  rear 
manoeuvres  in  the  same  manner  with  respect  to  the  centre. 
Secondly,  when  the  rear  is  to  form  the  weather,  and  the  van 
the  lee  column,  the  van  tacks  in  succession,  and,  when  about, 
either  shortens  sail  or  brings  to,  to  allow  the  other  columns 
time  to  form.  The  centre  and  rear  then  crowd  sail  and  tack 
in  succession ;  the  former  tacking  when  its  leader  h«,s  the 
centre  of  the  lee  column  in  a  line  at  right-angles  with  the 
wind,  or  when  its  centre  passes  astern  of  the  lee  column. 
When  the  centre  has  tacked,  it  regulates  its  rate  of  sailing 
by  the  lee,  and  both  wait  for  the  rear  to  pass  to  windward. 
The  rear  tacks  when  the  leader  has  the  first  ship  of  the  lee 
in  a  line  at  right-angles  with  the  wind,  or  when  its  centre 
ship  passes  astern  of  the  centre  column. 

To  Manoeuvre  in  Line  of  Battle. 

There  are  various  evolutions  or  manoeuvres  performed  by 
a  fleet  when  in  line  of  battle,  some  of  which  we  must  here 
describe 

Sometimes  the  fleet  has  to  form  the  line  on  the  other  tack, 
by  tacking  in  succession.  To  do  this,  the  leading  ship  of  the 
fleet  tacks  first,  after  making  more  sail,  or  after  the  second 
has  shortened  sail,  to  increase  the  interval  between  them 
When  the  first  ship  is  about,  either  the  second  makes  more 
sail,  or  the  third  shortens  sail,  and,  as  soon  as  the  second  gets 
into  the  wake  of  the  leader,  she  tacks,  putting  down  the  helm 
just  as  she  opens  the  weather-quarter  of  the  first  ship,  al 
ready  on  the  other  tack.  In  the  same  manner,  each  of  the 


98  THE   ARMY    AND 


other  ships  tacks  when  in  tha  wake  of  the  leader;  and  the 
ships  already  about  must  preserve  their  proper  distances  by 
shortening  sail,  if  necessary,  till  the  whole  fleet  be  on  the 
other  tack.  If  a  ship  should  miss  stays,  she  must  immedi^ 
ately  fill  again  on  the  same  tack,  and  make  sail  with  all  pos 
sible  expedition,  taking  care  not  to  fall  to  leeward  ;  thus  she 
will  get  ahead  and  to  windward  of  the  following  ships,  which 
will  successively  perform  their  evolutions  in  the  wake  of  the 
ships  that  are  already  on  the  other  tack,  standing  on  rather 
farther  than  if  the  ship  ahead  had  not  missed  stays. 

But  suppose  the  ships  are  not  to  tack  in  succession.  To 
form  the  line  on  the  other  tack,  the  whole  fleet  veers  together  ; 
the  rear  ship  hauls  her  wind  on  the  other  tack,  and  stands  on, 
while  the  rest  go  two  points  free  on  the  other  tack,  and  haul 
up  as  they  successively  gain  the  wake  of  the  leading  ship. 

If  the  line  is  to  veer  in  succession,  the  van  ship  veers  and 
stands  four  points  free  on  the  other  tack,  hauling  her  wind 
when  clear  of  the  sternmost  ship,  and  the  rest  follow  and 
haul  up  in  succession. 

Sometimes  the  fleet  has  to  turn  to  windward  while  in  line 
of  battle.  The  best  way  to  do  this,  when  there  is  good  sea- 
room,  is  for  all  the  ships  to  tack  together,  when  the  fleet  will 
be  in  a  line  of  battle  on  the  one  board,  and  in  bow  and  quar 
ter  line  on  the  other.  If,  however,  the  fleet  be  turning  to 
windward  in  a  narrow  channel,  it  is  best  for  the  ships  to  tack 
in  succession,  as,  were  they  all  to  tack  together,  the  van 
would  be  soon  in  with  the  land  on  one  side,  while  the  stern 
ship,  soon  after  the  fleet  has  re-tacked,  would  be  too  near  the 
land  on  the  other  side. 

If  the  van  and  centre  are  to  interchange,  the  van  is  to  bear 
away  a  little  and  then  bring  to,  while  the  centre  passes  on  to 
windward,  edging  a  little  to  get  ahead  of  the  former  van  on 
the  same  line;  the  rear,  coming  on  under  an  easy  sail,  edges 
away  likewise,  to  gain  the  wake  of  the  now  centre  squadron. 

If  the  van  and  rear  are  to  interchange,  the  van  and  centre 
are  to  bear  away  a  little  and  then  bring  to,  so  that  the  van 
may  bear  away  a  little  more  to  the  leeward  than  the  centre. 
The  rear  stands  on  to  gain  the  head  of  the  line;  and,  when 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS    AT    SEA. 


ibreast  of  the  former  van,  the  centre  fills,  and  both  standing 
Qfi,  form  abead  6?  the  how  rear,  by  edging  clpwn  till  they  are 
^  a  line  with  it.y 

I;  If  tne  centre  and  rear  are  to  interchange,  the  van  stands 
0n  under  an  easy  sail,  while  the  centre  bears  away  a  little 
^nd  brings  to,  and  the  reaf  at  the  same  time  carries  a  press 
df  sail  to  pass  the  centre  to  windward  and  get  into  the  wake 
#f  the  van.  The  van  and  centre  then  edge  away  to  gain  the 

ine  with  the  nowi  rear  squadron,  which  then  fills. 

j  ;v. M    TO     -anti    •piMJfiJ'fj/H'.>'r^nT  y»-"i    C.'J.'V'i    trvfi!!-i-.?:^'".-;??     nj     h'^vo^ 

71)  Manoeuvre  in  the  Fifth  Order  of  Sailing. 

I]  r:/>V>Vj;      IJiV,"    f/iffn.) .  ^JT<vU-<>      ;  v;'-''-    ;    ••".''        •  '•   !':  • 

Several  evolutions  are  required  while  a  fleet  is  in  the  fifth 
pmer  ,of  sailing,  and  of  these  we  shall  notice  some  of  the 
itnore  important. 

When  the.  columns,  aje  to  tack  in  succession,  the  ships  of 
fe  lee  must  tack  firsft,,as  they  h^ye  the  greatest  distance  to 
run ;  and  when  the  leader  of  the  centre  comes  ajbreast  of  the 
leader  to  leeward,  or  at  rightrangles  with  the  close-hauled 
Jine  on  the  other  tacji  on  which  the  leader  of  the  lee  is  now 
1*10 ving,  she  tacks,  and  is  followed  successively  by  the  ships 
|6f  her  division.  The  weather  column  manoeuvres  in  the 
same  manner,  paying  the  same  regard  to  the  centre.  Here 
|the  weather  column  is  still  to  windward,  and  should  the 
Columns  have  closed  too  much  or  be  too  far  asunder,  the  order 
may  be  observed,  either  by  the  lee  or  windward  column  bear 
ing  away,  so  as  to  mafce  an  a;ngle  equal  to  that  proposed  be- 
|t\yee«  any  cqlumn  and  a  line  joining  a.  leader  of  that  column 
land  the  sternmost  ship  of  the  next. 

WJien  all  the  columns  are  to  tack  together,  the  sternmost 
•ships  put  in  stays  together;  and;  yvhen  in  stays  their  seconds 
ahead  put  down  their  helms,  and  so  on  through  the  \vMe 
fleet.  Each  column  will  then  be  in  bow  and  quarter  line. 

When  the  columns  are  to  veer  in  succession,  the ^leader  of 
the  lee  column  must  steer  four  points;  free. on  the  other  tack, 
followed  by  the  ships  of .  that  division;  an4  >vhqn  sfie  is  clear 
;of  the  sternmost  ships  of  tjiat  division, ^  she  hauk  ,upr  The 
same  evolution  is  performed.by.ih^  ceiitr^an^ .weather  sjiips 
'^Upcgssi vely ,  standing  on  tijl;  they  jbrjng ,  jfe  point  at  \yhich 


10Q  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


the  lee  column  began  to  veer,  to  bear  in  a  right  line  to  lee 
ward  of  them.  They  likewise  successively  spring  their  luffs 
when  the  point  at  which  the  lee  column  hauled  its  wind  bears 
right  to  leeward. 

Suppose  the  fleet,  when  in  the  fifth  order  of  sailing,  is  to 
turn  to  windward.  Let  the  ships  be  so  arranged  that  the 
leaders  and  corresponding  ships  may  be  in  the  direction  of 
the  wind.  The  van  ships  must  tack  together,  and  must  be 
followed  in  succession,  each  by  the  remaining  ships  of  the 
division,  when  they  reach  the  wake  of  their  leaders,  or  the 
same  point  where  they  tacked ;  so  that  there  will  always  be 
three  ships  in  stays  at  once,  till  the  whole  fleet  is  on  the  other 
tack.  The  fleet  then  stands  on  to  any  proposed  distance  and 
re-tacks  as  before. 

When  the  weather  and  centre  columns  interchange,  the 
weather  and  lee  lie*  to,  or  only  keep  steerage  way  :  the  centre 
column  tacks  together,  and,  forming  a  bow  and  quarter  line, 
goes  close-hauled  to  gain  the  wake  of  the  weather  column ;  it 
then  tacks  together  and  stands  on,  while  the  weather  column 
bears  away  to  its  new  station  in  the  centre,  and  the  lee 
column  fills. 

When  the  weather  and  lee  columns  are  to  interchange,  the 
centre  column  must  bring  to,  while  the  lee  stands  on  under  a 
press  of  sail ;  and  when  its  sternmost  ship  can  pass  to  wind 
ward  of  the  van  of  the  centre  column,  that  is,  when  the  cen 
tre  ship  of  the  lee  is  in  a  perpendicular  line  to  the  direction 
of  the  wind  with  the  van  of  the  centre  column,  the  lee  column 
then  tacks  together,  and  stands  on  close-hauled  till  it  comes 
in  a  line  with  the  centre  column,  when  it  goes  large  two 
points  to  get  into  the  situation  which  the  weather  column 
left,  and  then  veers  together,  hauling  the  wind  for  the  other 
tack.  At  the  beginning  of  the  evolution  the  weather  column 
bears  away  together  under  little  sail,  and  goes  large  six  points 
on  the  other  tack,  to  get  into  the  wake  of  the  centre  column  ; 
it  then  hauls  to  the  former  tack,  going  two  points  large,  till 
it  comes  abreast  of  the  centre  column,  when  it  brings  to  and 
waits  for  the  now  weather  column. 

Suppose  the  weather  column  is  to  pass  to  leeward.     The 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  101 


weather  column  is  to  stand  on  under  easy  sail,  \vhile  the  cen 
tre  and  lee  tack  together,  carrying  a.  press  of  sail  till  they 
reach  the  wake  of  the  weather  column,  when  they  re-tack, 
and  crowd  sail  till  they  come  up  with  it.  The  weather 
column,  when  the  others  have  gained  its  wake,  bears  away 
two  points,  to  gain  its  station  to  leeward,  when  it  brings  to 
till  the  other  columns,  now  the  weather  and  centre,  come  up. 

Suppose  the  lee  column  is  to  pass  to  windward.  The 
weather  and  centre  columns  bring  to,  while  the  lee  column 
carries  sail  and  tacks  in  succession  as  soon  as  the  leading  ship 
can  weather  the  headmost  ship  of  the  weather  column  ;  and 
when  arrived  on  the  line  on  which  the  weather  column  is 
formed,  it  re-tacks  in  succession,  forms  on  the  same  line,  and 
either  brings  to  or  stands  on  under  easy  sail.  If  it  brings  to, 
the  other  two  columns  bear  away  together  two  points,  to  put 
themselves  abreast  of  the  column  now  to  windward ;  but  if 
the  now  weather  column  stood  on  under  ap  easy  sail,  they 
may  bear  away  only  one  point  to  gain  their  proper  stations. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  that  each  ship  of  a  fleet  or 
squadron  preserve  her  proper  station  and  distance  with  respect 
to  the  rest :  these  may  be  regulated  in  two  ways,  either  by 
observation  with  the  quadrant,  or  by  what  is  called  the  naval 
square.  This  square  is  usually  constructed  in  the  following 
manner. 

Construction  and  Use  of  the  Naval  Square. 

On  some  convenient  place  in  the  middle  of  the  quarter 
deck  is  described  the  square  A  B  C  D,  Fig.  29,  having  the 
sides  A  D  and  B  C  parallel  to  the  keel  of  the 
ship.  Through  the  centre,  G,  the  line  E  F  is 
drawn  parallel  to  A  D  or  B  C,  and  the  diago 
nals  A  C  and  B  D  are  drawn.  The  angles  E 
G  D,  E  G  C  are  bisected  by  the  straight  lines 
G  H,  G  I,  and  thus  the  naval  square  is  com 
pleted.  Now  the  angles  F  G  D,  F  G  C  are  = 
four  points  each,  being  each  half  a  right -angle,  therefore  the 
angles  E  G  D,  E  G  C,  the  complements  of  these  Angles,  are 
each  —  twelve  points,  and  consequently  the  angles  E  G  H, 
E  G I  are  each  —  six  points,  being  each  half  of  the  last  angles. 


pSi 


IT,  if  a  ship  be  running  close-hauled  on  the  starboard  tack, 
in  the  direction  F  fe,  the  direction  of  the  wind  will  be  IGj, 
arid  her  close-hauled  course  on  the  other  tack  willbeGCi^ 
but  if  she  be  running  close-hauled  on  the  larboard  tack  in 
same  direction,  her  direction  when  close-hauled  on  the  staji 
board  tack  will  be  GD.  Now,  to  apply  the  naval  square  to 
the  keeping  of  ships  in  their  respective  stations,  suppose  th^j 
Fig.  30.  fleet  formed  on  the  fifth  order  of  sailH 

ing,  close-hauled,  the  corresponding 
ships  of  the  columns  coinciding  withj 
direction  of  the  wind,  in  order  t^ 
run  to  windward  with  greater  facility J 
The  corresponding  ships  in  the  columii 
must  be  kept  in  the  direction  of  Glfj 
or  G  I,  according  to  the  direction  of  the- 
wind  and  the  tack  they  are  o&,  while! 
all  the  ships  of  the  same  column  musltj 
be  in  the  direction  of  JEF,  i  See  Fig.  3QJ 
Again,  suppose  the  ships  arranged  in  three  columns  on  ojijej 
of  the  lines  of  bearing*  and  close-hauled  on  the  other  tackj 
The  ships  of  each  column  will  be  in  the  direction  of  one  oil 
-th#  diagonals,  while  the  corresponding  ships  of  the  pt hei 
columns  will  be  in  the  direction  of  the  other  diagonal 

To  restore  tfie  Order  of  Battle  on  Shifts  of  the  Wind, 
Sometimes  the  rine  of  battle  is  disordered  on  the  wi 
shifting,  and  requires  to  be  restored.     Of  this  there  are 
ral  £ases,  a  few  of  which  we  shall  notice. 

1.  When  the  wind  comes  forward  less  than  six  points, 
this  case  the  whole  fleet,  except  the  leader,  brings  to.  Thje 
leadiag  ship,  that  the  same  distances  between  the  ships  ma; 
be  preserved  on  restoring  the  line,  steers  a  course,  as  a  6, 
31,  so  as  to  be  at  right-angles  with  the  middle  point  b< 
the  former  and  present  direction  of  the  win(J.  This  r€ 
course  may  be  known  by  adding  half  the  numl?er  of 
th^  wind  has  shifted  to  eight  points,  and  applying  tjiis^sun 
to  the  fofmer  close-hauled  course.  \Vlien  the  leader  has  ar 
'  at  the  new'close-hattied  line  wi^h  respect  to  the  secon< 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA,  103 

ship  ahead,  this  ship  immediately  fills  and  bears  away  as 
many  points  as  the  leader ;  and  when  both  these  have  reached 
the  close-hauled  line  with  respect  to  the  third  ship,  she  also 


Fig,  31 


V-,. 


r  .......  r  .....   i  ........  '/       T  .....  / 


fills  and  bears  away;  and  thus  with  the  rest  in  succession; 
and  when  they  have  got  into  the  close-hauled  line,  b  c,  with 
the  sternmost  ship,  they  all  haul  their  wind  together,  and  the 
sternmost  ship  fills  and  stands  on  close-hauled. 

This  may  be  expeditiously  performed  if  the  whole  fleet  fall 
off  as  soon  as  the  wind  shifts  the  same  number  of  points,  and 
the  leader  bears  away  eight  points  from  the  middle  between 
the  former  and  present  directions  of  the  wind  ;  or  when  the 
wind  shifts  nearly  six  points,  if  the  leader  bears  away  eight 
points  from  the  present  direction  of  the  wind,  and  hauls  her 
wind  as  soon  as  the  sternmost  ship  bears  from  her  in  the 
close-hauled  line,  while  the  second  ship  bears  away  when  she 
reaches  the  wake  of  the  leader,  and  hauls  her  wind  when  she 
has  again  gained  his  wake.  The  third,  fourth,  &c.,  ships 
bear  away,  and  also  haul  their  wind  in  succession,  till  the 
sternmost  and  the  whole  line  be  formed  again. 

2.  Suppose  the  wind  comes  forward  less  than  six  points, 
and  the  order  of  battle  is  to  be  re-formed  on  the  other  tack. 
In  this  case  all  the  ships  are  to  veer  round  till  their  heads 
come  to  the  requisite  point  with  respect  to  their  former  course, 
when  the  rear  ship,  now  become  the  van,  hauls  close  by  the 
wind,  followed  successively  by  the  other  ships.  Should  the 
wind  come  ahead  more  than  six  points,  but  less  than  twelve, 
the  fleet  is  to  manoeuvre  as  before  ;  but  if  it  shift  exactly 
twelve  points  ahead,  the  tack  must  be  changed. 

*  3;ni,£stly,  suppose  the  wind  to  shift  aft  ;  if  less  than  two 
points,  the  leader  hauls  her  wind,  while  the  fleet  stands  on  as 


104  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


before,  each  successively  hauling  her  wind  as  she  gains  the 
wake  of  her  leader.  If  the  tack  is  to  be  changed,  the  whole 
fleet  tack  together,  and  the  sternmost  ship,  now  the  leader, 
hauls  up,  while  the  rest  bear  down  and  haul  up  in  succession. 

Should  the  wind  change  sixteen  points,  all  the  ships  imme 
diately  brace  about  for  the  other  tack,  by  which  means  the 
fleet  will  be  going  four  points  large ;  then  the  ships  instantly 
tacking  or  veering  together,  the  order  of  the  battle  will  be 
restored  or  formed  again  on  the  same  tack  as  before  the  wind 
changed. 

Having  described  and  illustrated  the  principal  evolutions 
which  are  performed  by  fleets  or  squadrons  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  we  are  prepared  to  consider  the  nature  and 
consequences  of  a  naval  engagement. 

Circumstances  to  be  considered  in  forming  a  Fleet  for  Action. 

In  forming  a  fleet  for  battle,  it  is  proper  to  consider  the 
size  and  number  of  the  ships  of  which  it  is  to  consist,  and 
the  distance  at  which  they  are  to  be  placed  with  respect  to 
each  other.  In  the  present  system  of  naval  warfare,  it  is 
generally  deemed  of  advantage  to  have  the  ships  that  are  to 
form  the  principal  line  as  large  as  possible  ;  for,  though  large 
ships  are  not  so  easily  and  expeditiously  worked  as  those  of 
a  smaller  size,  they  are  most  serviceable  during  the  action, 
both  as  carrying  a  greater  weight  of  metal,  and  as  being  less 
exposed  to  material  injury,  either  from  the  enemy's  shot  or 
from  the  weather.  In  boarding,  too,  a  large  ship  must  have 
greatly  the  superiority  over  a  smaller,  both  from  her  greater 
height,  and  from  the  number  of  hands  which  she  contains. 
With  respect  to  the  number  of  ships,  it  is  of  advantage  that 
they  be  not  too  numerous,  as,  if  the  line  be  too  extensive,  the 
signals  from  the  centre  are  with  difficulty  observed. 

In  arranging  a  fleet  in  line  of  battle,  it  is  proper  to  regu 
late  the  distance  so  that  the  ships  shall  be  sufficiently  near  to 
support  each  other,  but  not  so  close  that  a  disabled  ship  may 
not  readily  be  got  out  of  the  line  without  disturbing  the  rest 
of  the  fleet. 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  105 


Advantages  and  Disadvantages  of  the  Weather-Gage. 
It  has  long  been  deemed  a  point  of  great  consequence  with 
le  commander  of  a  fleet  to  gain  the  weather-gage,  or  to  get 
o  windward  of  the  enemy,  before  coming  to  action.     In  de- 
ding  on  the  propriety  of  this,  much  will  depend  on  the  rela- 
ive  strength  of  each  fleet,  and  on  the  state  of  the  weather  at 
ic  time.     We  shall  state  the  advantages  and  disadvantages 
*  the  weather-gage,  as  they  are  commonly  laid  down  by 
writers  on  naval  tactics,  though  we  may  observe,  by  the  way, 
lat  if  a  fleet  be  much  superior  to  its  opponent,  it  is  seldom 
'consequence  whether  it  engages  to  windward  or  to  leeward. 
A  fleet  to  windward  of  the  enemy  is  thought  to  possess  the 
bllowing  advantages.     It  may  approach  the  leeward  fleet  at 
easure,  and  can,  of  course,  accelerate  or  delay  the  begin- 
ng  of  the  engagement.     If  more  numerous,   it  may  send 
own  a  detachment  on  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  and  thus  throw 
lim  into  confusion.     It  may  also  readily  send  down  fire-ships 
n  the  enemy's  fleet,  when  thrown  into  confusion  or  disabled. 
It  may  board  at  any  time,  and  is  scarcely  incommoded  by  the 
smoke  of  the  enemy.     The  reverse  of  these  circumstances,  of 
course,  acts  against  a  leeward  fleet. 

The  disadvantages  of  being  to  windward  of  the  enemy 
respect  chiefly  the  circumstances  attending  a  retreat,  should 
this  be  necessary.  The  windward  fleet  can  seldom  retire 
without  passing  through  the  enemy's  line  ;  and  if,  in  attempt 
ing  a  retreat,  the  windward  ships  tack  together,  those  of  the 
I  leeward  fleet  may  do  the  same,  rake  the  weather  ships  in 
stays,  and  follow  them  on  the  other  tack,  having  now  the  ad 
vantage  of  the  wind.  In  stormy  weather,  the  windward 
j  ships  can  seldom  open  their  lower  deck  ports,  and  the  lee 
j  guns  are  not  easily  managed  after  firing.  Again,  any  disa 
bled  ships  cannot  easily  quit  the  line  without  disordering  the 
rest  of  the  fleet,  and  exposing  either  that  or  themselves  to  be 
raked  by  the  enemy  to  leeward.  A  leeward  fleet  has  the 
advantage  of  serving  their  lower-deck  guns  in  all  weathers ; 
of  being  able  to  retreat  at  pleasure ;  of  drawing  off,  without 
difficulty,  their  disabled  ships ;  of  forming  with  more  readi 
ness  the  order  of  retreat,  or  of  continuing  the  action  as  long 

14 


106 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


as  convenient ;  of  having  it  in  their  power,  when  superior  in 
number,  to  double  the  enemy ;  and  of  cannonading  with  great 
effect  the  windward  ships  as  they  bear  down  for  the  attack. 

Description  of  an  Engagement  between  two  Ships. 

As  an  engagement  between  two  adverse  ships  is,  in  some 
measure,  an  epitome  of  an  engagement  between  two  fleets; 
we  shall  first  briefly  describe  the  former,  as  it  takes  place  un 
der  ordinary  circumstances,  and  shall  then  notice  the  usual 
manner  of  conducting  a  general  engagement. 

A  naval  engagement  may  be  divided  into  three  stages,  the 
preparation,  the  action,  and  the  repair. 

Preparation. 

When  an  enemy's  ship  heaves  in  sight,  and  it  is  thought 
advisable  to  bring  her  to  an  engagement,  orders  are  first 
given  to  clear  for  action,  which  is  begun  by  the  boatswain 
and  his  mates  piping  up  the  hammocks,  in  order  to  clear  the 
space  between  decks,  for  the  more  easy  management  of  the 
guns,  as  well  as  to  afford  the  men  on  the  quarter-deck,  &c.,  a 
better  protection  against  the  enemy's  shot,  the  hammocks 
being  stowed  in  the  nettings  above  the  gunwale  and  bul 
warks.  After  this  the  boatswain's  mates  go  to  work  to  secure 
the  yards,  which  is  done  by  fastening  them  with  strong  chains 
or  ropes,  in  addition  to  those  by  which  they  are  suspended. 
They  likewise  get  ready  such  materials  as  may  be  necessary 
for  repairing  the  rigging,  if  it  should  be  cut  away,  or  other 
wise  damaged,  by  the  enemy's  shot.  In  the  meantime  the 
carpenter  and  his  mates  prepare  shot-plugs  and  mauls,  to 
stop  any  dangerous  shot-holes  that  may  be  made  in  the  hull 
near  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  provide  the  necessary 
iron-work  for  refitting  the  chain-pumps,  if  their  machinery 
should  be  injured  during  the  engagement ;  while  the  gunner 
and  his  mates,  and  the  quarter-gunners,  examine  the  guns  to 
see  that  their  charges  are  dry,  and  provide  everything  that 
maybe  required  for  supplying  the  great  guns  and  small  arms 
with  ammunition.  The  master  and  master's  mates  see  that 
the  sails  are  properly  trimmed,  according  to  the  situation  of 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS   AT   SEA.  107 


the  ship,  and  increase  or  reduce  them  as  may  be  found  neces 
sary;  and  the  lieutenants  visit  the  different  decks  to  see  that 
all  is  clear,  and  to  take  care  that  the  inferior  officers  do  their 
duty. 

When  the  hostile  ships  have  approached  within  a  proper 
distance  of  each  other,  the  drums  beat  to  arms ;  the  boat 
swain  and  his  mates  pipe  all  hands  to  quarters.  All  the  men 
who  are  to  manage  the  great  guns  repair  immediately  to 
their  respective  stations.  The  crows,  handspikes,  rammers, 
sponges,  powder-horns,  matches,  and  train-tackles,  are  placed 
in  order  by  the  side  of  the  guns ;  the  hatches  are  immedi 
ately  closed,  to  prevent  skulkers  from  getting  below ;  the 
marines  are  drawn  up  on  the  quarter-deck,  &c.,  the  lashings 
of  the  guns  are  cast  loose,  and  the  tompions  withdrawn. 
The  whole  artillery,  above  and  below,  is  run  out  at  the  ports, 
and  levelled  to  the  point-blank  range,  ready  for  firing. 

The  Action. 

When  these  necessary  preparations  are  completed,  and 
the  officers  and  crew  ready  at  their  respective  stations,  and 
when  the  two  ships  are  sufficiently  near  each  other,  in  a 
proper  relative  situation  for  the  shot  to  take  full  effect,  the 
action  commences  with  a  vigorous  cannonade  from  the  great 
guns,  accompanied  by  the  whole  efforts  of  the  swivels  and 
small-arms.  The  firing  is  seldom  performed  in  volleys,  as 
that  would  shake  the  ship  too  much ;  but  the  guns  are  loaded 
and  fired  one  after  another,  with  as  much  despatch  and  as 
little  confusion  as  possible,  care  being  taken  to  fire  only  when 
each  gun  is  properly  directed  to  its  object.  During  the  firing, 
the  lieutenants  traverse  the  decks,  to  see  that  the  battle  is 
prosecuted  with  vivacity,  and  that  the  men  do  their  duty; 
while  the  midshipmen  second  their  injunctions,  and  give  the 
necessary  assistance  where  required,  at  the  guns  committed 
to  their  charge.  The  youngest  of  these  inferior  officers  are 
generally  employed  to  carry  orders  from  the  captain.  The 
gunners  are  all  this  time  employed  in  the  magazines,  filling 
cartridges,  which  are  carried  along  the  decks  in  boxes,  >by 
the  boys  of  the  ship.  When  the  action  has  continued  so 


108  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 

long,  or  has  produced  such  an  effect,  that  one  of  the  ships 
must  yield  or  retreat,  if  the  vanquished  ship  cannot  get  off, 
she  acknowledges  her  inferiority  by  striking  or  hauling  down 
her  colours,  when  she  is,  as  soon  as  possible,  taken  possession 
of  by  the  victor,  the  commander  of  which  sends  a  part  of 
his  own  crew  into  the  captured  ship,  and  brings  away  most 
of  her  officers  and  men  on  board  his  own  ship,  as  prisoners 
of  war. 

Repair. 

The  engagement  being  concluded,  they  begin  to  repair. 
The  guns  are  secured  by  their  breeches  and  tackles  with  all 
convenient  expedition.  Whatever  sails  have  been  rendered 
unserviceable,  are  unbent,  and  the  wounded  masts  and  yards 
struck  upon  deck,  to  be  fished  or  replaced  by  others.  The 
standing  rigging  is  knotted,  and  the  running  rigging  spliced 
where  necessary.  Proper  sails  are  bent  in  the  room  of  those 
which  have  been  displaced  as  useless.  The  carpenter  and 
his  mates  are  employed  in  repairing  the  breaches  made  in  the 
ship's  hull,  by  shot-plugs,  pieces  of  plank,  and  sheet-lead, 
The  gunner  and  his  assistants  are  busied  in  replenishing  the 
allotted  number  of  charged  cartridges,  to  supply  the  place  oi 
those  which  have  been  expended,  and  in  refitting  whatever 
furniture  of  the  guns  may  have  been  damaged  by  the  action. 

Engagement  between  two  Fleets. 

A  general  engagement  between  two  adverse  fleets  obvi 
ously  involves  a  greater  variety  of  circumstances,  and  re 
quires  greater  judgment  and  more  comprehensive  skill  in  the 
commanding  officer. 

When  the  commander  of  a  fleet  has  discovered  an  enemy's 
fleet,  his  principal  object,  if  he  be  sufficiently  strong,  is  to 
bring  it  to  action  as  soon  as  possible.  Every  inferior  consi 
deration  gives  way  to  this  important  object,  and  all  necessary 
preparations  are  immediately  made  to  prepare  for  such  an 
event.  The  state  of  the  wind  and  situation  of  the  enemy 
will,  in  general,  regulate  his  conduct  with  regard  to  the  dis 
position  of  his  ships  on  that  occasion.  To  facilitate  the  exe 
cution  of  the  commander's  orders,  the  whole  fleet  is  disposed 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS    AT   SEA,  109 

in  three  squadrons,  and  each  of  these  classed  into  three  divi 
sions,  under  the  command  of  the  different  officers.  Before 
the  action  begins,  the  adverse  fleets  are  drawn  up  in  two 
lines,  as  formerly  described.  As  soon  as  the  chief  com 
mander  displays  the  signal  for  the  line  of  battle,  the  several 
divisions  separate  from  the  columns  in  which  they  were  dis 
posed  in  the  usual  order  in  sailing,  and  every  ship  crowds 
sail  to  get  into  its  station  in  the  wake  of  the  next  ahead ;  and 
a  proper  distance  from  each  other  is  regularly  observed  from 
the  van  to  the  rear.  The  chief  commander,  however,  occa 
sionally  contracts  or  extends  his  line,  so  as  to  regulate  the 
length  of  his  line  by  that  of  his  adversary.  This  is  more 
particularly  necessary  to  prevent  his  being  doubled,  by 
which  his  van  and  rear  would  be  thrown  into  disorder. 
When  the  hostile  fleets  approach  each  other,  the  courses  are 
commonly  hauled  upon  the  brails,  and  the  top-gallant  sails 
and  stay-sails  furled.  The  movement  of  each  «Mp  j«  regu 
lated  chiefly  by  the  main  and  fore-top  sails  and  the  jib ;  the 
mizen-top  sail  being  reserved  to  hasten  or  retard  the  course 
of  the  ship,  and,  by  filling  or  backing,  hoisting  or  lowering 
it,  to  determine  her  velocity.  The  signal  for  a  general  en 
gagement  is  usually  displayed  when  the  fleets  are  sufficiently 
near  each  other  to  be  within  the  range  of  point-blank  shot, 
so  that  the  guns  may  be  levelled  with  some  certainty  of  exe 
cution.  After  the  battle  has  commenced,  it  is  carried  on 
much  in  the  same  manner  as  between  two  ships,  except  that 
each  vessel  of  the  fleet,  besides  attending  to  her  own  move 
ments,  has  to  observe  the  signals  made  by  the  commanding 
officer,  and  repeated  by  the  frigates  on  the  van  and  rear. 
The  main  object  of  the  chief  commander  is  to  keep  his  line 
as  complete  as  possible,  by  ordering  ships  from  those  in 
reserve  to  supply  the  place  of  such  as  may  have  been  dis 
abled,  arid  to  annoy  the  enemy  as  much  as  possible,  both  by 
strengthening  the  feeble  parts  of  his  own  line,  and,  if  cir 
cumstances  admit  of  it,  by  sending  down  fire-ships  upon  that 
of  the  enemy.  When  the  engagement  draws  near  a  close, 
either  by  the  defeat  of  the  enemy,  or  by  the  disabled  state 
of  either  fleet,  signals  are  made  from  the  chief  commander 


1 10  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 

to  take  possession  of  such  of  the  enemy's  ships  as  have  struck, 
to  tow  his  own  disabled  ships  into  a  place  of  security,  and 
either  to  chase  the  remainder  of  the  enemy's  squadron,  or,  if 
that  be  impracticable,  to  draw  off  his  own  ships  to  be  refitted. 
Such  are  the  general  incidents  attending  an  engagement  at 
sea,  modified,  of  course,  by  numerous  circumstances,  of  which 
a  general  description  can  convey  no  idea.  There  are,  how 
ever,  various  movements  and  evolutions  connected  with  a 
naval  engagement,  which  it  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  notice. 

To  dispute  the  Weather-Gage  with  an  Enemy. 

Where  the  weather-gage  is  deemed  of  sufficient  importance, 
it  is  often  an  object  with  two  fleets  to  dispute  it  with  each 
other.  When  the  enemy  is  to  windward,  and  it  is  wished  to 
gain  the  weather-gage  of  him,  the  fleet  to  leeward  should 
avoid  extending  itself  the  length  of  the  enemy's  line,  in  order 
to  oblige  them  to  edge  down  upon  theirs,  if  they  intend  to 
attack  them ;  which  will  be  the  means,  if  they  still  persist  in 
doing  so,  of  losing  the  advantage  of  the  wind.  It  is  impos 
sible  for  a  fleet  to  leeward  to  gain  to  windward,  so  long  as 
the  enemy  keep  the  wind,  unless  a  change  happens  in  their 
favour ;  and,  therefore,  all  that  a  fleet  to  leeward  can  do 
must  be  to  wait  with  patience  for  such  a  change,  of  which 
they  will  undoubtedly  avail  themselves,  as  well  as  of  any  in 
advertency  the  enemy  may  commit  in  the  meantime.  And, 
as  long  as  the  fleet  to  leeward  does  not  extend  its  line  the 
length  of  the  enemy's,  it  will  be  impossible  for  the  latter  to 
bring  them  to  action  without  running  the  hazard,  by  bearing 
down,  of  losing  the  advantage  of  the  wind,  which  both  fleets 
will  be  so  desirous  of  preserving.  That  a  commander  may 
take  advantage  of  such  shifts  of  the  wind  as  occasionally 
happen,  he  must  endeavour  to  get  his  ships  into  situations 
where  these  shifts  most  frequently  take  place.  It  is  well 
known  to  experienced  naval  officers,  that  particular  winds 
reign  most  on  certain  coasts,  or  off  certain  headlands.  Here, 
therefore,  the  commander  should  await  the  approach  of  the 
enemy ;  and  though  by  this  plan  he  may  sometimes  be  un 
successful,  he  will  more  frequently  gain  a  material  advantage. 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  HI 


The  disposition  of  projecting  headlands,  and  the  setting  of 
tides  and  currents,  often  contribute  materially  towards  gain 
ing  the  wind  of  the  enemy.  The  fleet  to  windward  should 
keep  that  to  leeward  as  much  as  possible  abreast  of  it;  and 
thus,  unless  the  wind  changes  considerably,  they  will  pre 
serve  the  advantage  which  they  have  gained.  They  should 
also  force  them  to  keep  their  wind,  unless  they  think  it  pru 
dent  not  to  engage,  in  which  case  it  would  be  better  to  keep 
altogether  out  of  sight. 

To  force  the  Enemy  to  Action. 

When  the  enemy  appears  desirous  of  avoiding  an  action, 
there  are  various  methods  of  attempting  to  force  him  to  en 
gage  ;  as,  first,  when  he  has  the  weather-gage.  In  this  case 
the  lee  fleet,  which  is  desirous  of  bringing  on  an  engagement, 
must  keep  always  on  the  same  tack  with  the  enemy  to  wind 
ward,  taking  care  to  keep  their  own  ships  so  exactly  abreast 
of  the  enemy  as  to  prevent  losing  sight  of  them ;  and  hence 
be  ready  to  take  advantage  of  the  first  favourable  shift  of 
wind  to  make  the  attack.  An  alteration  of  the  course  may 
be  best  attempted  in  the  night.  The  lee  fleet  must  have  fri 
gates  on  the  look-out,  and  these  must  continually  give  notice 
by  signal  of  the  manoauvres  and  course  of  the  retreating  fleet 
to  windward.  Thus  the  weather  fleet  is  always  exposed  to 
pursuit,  without  being  able  to  escape  unseen;  and  hence 
must  sooner  or  later  be  compelled  to  engage,  unless  they  can 
get  into  some  friendly  port,  or  should  be  favoured  by  a  gale 
of  wind  sufficient  to  disperse  both  fleets,  and  thus  prevent 
the  possibility  of  a  general  engagement. 

Secondly,  when  the  enemy  is  to  leeward.  If  the  lee  fleet 
keep  close  to  the  wind  in  the  order  of  battle,  the  fleet  to 
windward  is  to  stand  on  in  the  same  manner  till  it  be  abreast 
of  the  enemy,  ship  to  ship,  and  at  the  same  time  to  bear 
away,  and  steer  so  as  to  bring  their  respective  opponents  on 
the  same  point  of  the  compass  with  themselves.  Thus  the 
adverse  fleets  will  be  sufficiently  near  each  other  to  begin  the 
action,  by  each  ship's  presenting  her  bow  to  the  ship  abreast 
of  her  in  the  order  of  sailing,  which  may  be  easily  changed 


112  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


for  the  order  of  battle,  by  all  the  ships  hatiling  together  close 
to  the  wind  in  the  moment  which  precedes  the  action.  If  the 
fleet  appear  inclined  to  engage,  it  may  bring  to,  to  prevent 
losing  time,  and  after  this  they  will  fill  as  soon  as  the  action 
commences,  because  it  is  of  advantage  to  a  lee  line  to  be  ad 
vancing  ahead.  As  the  lee  fleet  fills  and  stands  in  close  by 
the  wind,  the  weather  line  should  keep  abreast  before  it  bears 
away,  to  come  within  the  requisite  distance,  that  the  van 
ship  of  the  weather  fleet  may  always  keep  to  windward  of 
the  leading  ship  of  the  lee  line,  and  be  guarded  against  any 
shift  of  wind  ahead.  If  the  lee  fleet  bear  away  four  points 
to  move  their  order  of  battle  on  the  other  tack,  and  avoid  the 
action,  filing  off  in  succession  in  the  wake  of  the  van  ship, 
the  weather  line,  by  bearing  away  all  together  eight  points, 
cannot  fail,  as  both  fleets  are  supposed  to  sail  equally,  to  pass 
through  .the  middle  of  their  line,  and  force  them  to  fight  with 
disadvantage,  if  their  extent  be  double  the  distance  between 
the  two  fleets.  If  the  extent  of  the  fleet  i)e  less  than  the 
above  limitation,  then  the  weather  fleet  will  divide  the  lee 
fleet  more  unequally ;  and  if  the  distance  between  the  fleets 
be  considerable,  the  weather  fleet  will  be  able  to  break  through 
the  line.  If  the  lee  fleet  bear  away  four  points  all  together, 
being  of  equal  extent  with  the  fleet  to  windward,  and  their 
distance  from  each  other  equal  to  that  of  the  length  of  one 
of  the  lines,  should  the  weather  fleet  bear  away  at  the  same 
I  time  eight  points,  they  will  approach  very  near  the  stern- 
most  of  the  retreating  fleet,  but  they  will  not  have  it  in  their 
power  to  cut  off  any  part  of  that  fleet,  even  with  an  equality 
of  sailing ;  so  that  the  only  advantage  gained  by  this  ma- 
no3uvre  will  be  an  ability  of  attacking  the  rear  and  bringing 
it  to  action.  If  the  van  ship  and  the  rest  of  the  weather 
fleet  had  a  sufficient  velocity  to  keep  the  centre  ship  of  the 
lee  line  on  the  same  point  of  bearing,  in  that  case  the  leading 
ship  may  break  through  the  enemy's  line  about  the  middle 
ship  of  the  centre  division ;  for,  supposing  the  fleets  in  the 
order  of  battle,  on  the  starboard  tack,  steering  east,  with  the 
wind  at  south-south-east,  being  at  two  leagues  distance  from 
each  other,  both  the  lines  being  four  leagues  in  extent,  then 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  113 


the  lee  line  bearing  away  all  together  four  points,  will  run 
northeast,  while  the  fleet  to  windward,  bearing  away  all 
together  eight  points,  will  steer  north,  the  van  ship  of  which 
will  keep  the  centre  division  of  the  lee  line  in  the  point  of 
bearing  north-west.  As  she  is  supposed  to  be  able  to  con 
tinue  in  this  position,  it  follows  that  the  van  of  the  weather 
line  must  close  the  centre  of  the  flying  line  to  leeward  after 
having  run  four  leagues.  The  time  and  distance  necessary 
to  cut  off  a  retreating  fleet  may  always  be  known  according 
to  the  last  supposition.  If  the  lee  fleet  should  get  on  the 
other  tack,  and  run  large,  still  in  the  order  of  battle,  they 
will  be  sooner  forced  to  action  by  the  weather  fleet,  who  have 
only  to  bear  away  eight  or  nine  points  on  the  same  tack,  or 
run  right  before  the  wind. 

To  avoid  coming  to  Action. 

As,  in  forcing  a  fleet  to  action,  there  are  two  principal  cases 
in  which  a  fleet  may  avoid  an  action,  where  circumstances 
are  not  sufficiently  favourable ;  first,  when  the  enemy  is  to 
windward;  and,  secondly,  when  he  is  to  leeward.  In  the 
former  case,  the  lee  fleet  should  form  the  order  of  retreat,  if 
the  enemy  are  in  view,  and  run  on  the  same  tack  as  their 
leading  ship ;  but  if  he  is  still  out  of  sight,  and  they  have 
received  intelligence  of  his  approach  by  their  frigates  on  the 
look-out,  they  may  bear  away  large,  without  confining  them 
selves  to  keep  the  wind  directly  off*,  unless  when  in  the  order 
of  retreat.  In  the  second  case,  it  seldom  happens  that  the 
weather  fleet  can  be  forced  to  an  engagement,  because  it  can 
always  stand  on  that  tack  which  increases  its  distance  from 
the  enemy ;  that  is,  by  standing  on  one  tack  while  the  enemy 
is  on  the  other.  The  windward  fleet  must  not  keep  too  near 
the  enemy,  and  must  take  all  possible  means  to  avoid  being 
abreast  of  him. 

To  Double  an  Enemy. 

It  is  often  of  advantage  to  double  the  enemy ;  that  is,  to 
bring  a  part  of  the  fleet  round  upon  his  van  or  rear,  so  as  to 
place  him  bet\veen  two  fires.  This  manoeuvre  also  resolves 
itself  into  two  principal  cases ;  first,  when  the  enemy  is  to 

~15~         "^  s* 


114  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


windward ;  secondly,  when  he  is  to  leeward.  In  the  first 
case,  the  lee  fleet  that  attempts  to  double  the  enemy  should 
extend  itself  abreast  of  him,  so  that  its  van  or  rear  may  ex 
tend  beyond  his  line,  in  order  to  overreach  him,  by  tacking 
in  succession,  so  that  the  extended  part  of  the  line  may  get 
up  to  windward.  If  this  manoeuvre  be  properly  executed, 
it  will  be  impossible  for  the  ships  of  the  weather  line  long  to 
maintain  their  stations,  for  no  vessel  closely  attacked  by  two 
others  of  equal  force  can  long  resist.  It  is  of  some  conse 
quence  to  determine  whether  the  attempt  to  double  should  be 
made  on  the  van  or  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  as  on  the  pro 
priety  of  adopting  the  one  or  the  other  of  these  measures 
may  in  a  great  measure  depend  the  issue  of  the  battle.  In 
the  present  case,  it  is  most  easy  to  double  the  van  of  the 
enemy,  because,  if  they  are  engaged  by  the  ships  abreast  of 
them,  those  which  are  advanced  ahead  will  be  able,  by  making 
all  sail,  to  get  in  the  perpendicular  to  the  direction  of  the 
wind  with  the  van  of  the  enemy,  and  to  tack  in  succession 
to  gain  the  wind  of  them  on  the  other  board,  thus  keeping 
them  to  leeward;  and  when  they  are  come  sufficiently  to 
windward,  they  are  again  to  go  about,  in  order  to  keep  the 
two  headmost  ships  of  the  enemy's  line  continually  under 
their  fire.  If  there  be  two  or  three  ships  to  tack  in  succes 
sion  and  gain  the  wind  of  the  enemy,  they  may  edge  down 
on  the  van  of  the  weather  line  at  pleasure,  keeping  themselves 
a  little  to  the  windward  of  it ;  and  as  that  van  is  already 
engaged  by  the  other  ships  abreast  on  the  other  side,  she 
must  necessarily  soon  be  disabled.  If  they  bear  away  they 
must  drop  upon  the  line  with  which  they  are  engaged  to  lee 
ward,  while  the  ships  to  windward  still  continue  to  cannon 
ade  them.  If  they  attempt  going  about,  in  order  to  attack 
more  closely  the  ships  to  windward,  they  will  be  raked, 
while  in  stays,  by  their  opponents  to  leeward  and  to  wind 
ward,  who,  enfilading  them  with  whole  broadsides,  which 
they  cannot  return,  must  complete  their  disorder.  If  they 
make  sail,  in  order  to  frustrate  the  design  of  the  ships  in 
clined  to  double,  those  with  which  they  are  engaged  abreast 
to  leeward  have  only  to  perform  the  same  manoeuvre,  and 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  115 

keep  them  under  their  fire;  while  the  others,  after  having 
harassed  them  as  much  as  possible,  will  do  their  best  to  per 
form  the  same  manoeuvre  on  the  succeeding  ships. 

If  any  of  the  ships  in  the  van  of  the  weather  line  are  dis 
abled  in  the  masts  or  yards,  they  will  drop  astern,  and  run 
foul  of  the  next  succeeding  ship,  and  these  again  on  the  next 
astern.  Thus  the  enemy's  order  of  battle  will  be  broken, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  lee  line  is  preserved ;  and  those 
ships  which  have  gained  the  wind  of  the  enemy  will,  without 
engaging  more  ships  than  they  can  manage,  contribute  to 
increase  the  confusion. 

When  the  enemy  is  to  leeward,  and  the  weather  fleet 
attempts  to  double,  the  ships  of  the  weather  line  must  extend 
their  van  beyond  that  of  the  enemy,  and  then  veer  in  order 
to  bring  the  headmost  ships  of  the  lee  line  between  two  fires. 
It  must  not,  however,  be  concealed  that  it  is  much  more  dan 
gerous  to  the  ship  engaged  in  this  service  to  attempt  dou 
bling  a  fleet  to  leeward  than  to  windward,  as,  if  disabled  or 
separated  too  far  from  their  own  fleet,  they  cannot  so  easily 
extricate  themselves  and  rejoin  the  fleet. 

To  avoid  being  Doubled. 

When  one  fleet  attempts  to  double  another,  this  latter  will, 
of  course,  do  all  in  their  power  to  avoid  the  impending  dan 
ger  ;  and  this  they  will  the  more  readily  do,  according  to 
their  number  or  their  situation.  If  the  fleet  thus  threatened 
be  to  windward,  one  of  the  methods  proposed  to  avoid  being 
doubled,  is  to  extend  the  line  towards  the  point  threatened, 
so  as  to  leave  a  greater  space  between  the  ships  ;  but  in  doing 
this  there  is  a  risk  of  having  the  line  broken  by  the  superior 
enemy.  Another  method  suggested  is,  for  the  flag-ships  of 
the  windward  fleet  to  oppose  themselves  to  those  of  the  lee 
line,  which  is  supposed  to  render  several  of  the  enemy's  ships 
in  the  intervals  of  little  use ;  but  one  great  inconvenience  of 
this  manoeuvre  is,  that  it  leaves  the  van  and  rear  most  ex 
posed  to  the  enemy's  fire,  and  that  the  rear  division,  in  par 
ticular,  is  in  great  danger  of  being  doubled.  To  remedy 
these  defects,  the  largest  ships  should  be  placed  in  the  van 


116 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


and  rear  of  each  division,  and  the  fleet  must  regulate  its  sail 
ing  in  such  a  manner  that  its  rear  shall  never  be  astern  of  the 
rear  of  the  enemy. 

When  the  enemy  is  to  leeward,  the  weather  fleet  is  to  keep 
astern  of  the  enemy,  so  that  the  van  of  the  weather  fleet 
may  be  opposed  to  and  attack  the  enemy's  centre.  Hence 
the  enemy's  van  will  become  useless  for  some  time;  and 
should  it  attempt  to  tack  and  double  on  the  weather  fleet, 
much  time  will  be  lost  in  performing  that  evolution ;  and  it 
also  runs  the  risk  of  being  separated  by  the  calm  which  often 
happens  in  the  course  of  an  engagement,  occasioned  by  the 
discharge  of  the  guns.  A  considerable  interval  might  also  be 
left  between  the  centre  and  the  van,  if  necessary  precautions 
be  taken  to  prevent  the  van  from  being  cut  off. 

Of  Chasing. 

There  are  several  circumstances  of  importance  to  be  con 
sidered  in  the  subject  of  chasing,  i.e.,  when  one  ship  or  fleet 
pursues  another,  called  the  chase,  either  to  bring  her  or  them 
to  action,  or  to  oblige  them  to  surrender. 

In  the  case  of  single  Skips. — When  a  single  ship  chases  an 
other,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  in  general,  that  one  of  them  is  the 
better  sailer,  though  this  is  not  alwrays  the  case,  and  still  by 
proper  manoeuvring  the  chasing  ship,  or  chaser,  may  gain  on 
the  chase.  In  the  following  observations,  however,  we  shall 
suppose  the  chaser  to  sail  faster  than  the  chase.  The  ma 
noeuvres  of  the  chaser  will  depend  on  her  being  to  windward 
or  leeward  of  the  chase.  When  the  chase  is  to  windward, 
it  is  evident,  that  as  soon  as  she  perceives  a  single  ship  which 
she  takes  for  an  enemy,  she  will  haul  her  wind,  in  order  to 
prolong  the  chase,  as  otherwise  her  retreat  would  soon  be  cut 
off.  The  chaser  then  stands  on  nearly  close-hauled,  till  she 
has  the  chase  on  her  beam :  she  then  tacks,  and  stands  on 
close-hauled  till  the  chase  is  again  on  her  beam,  and  then  re- 
tacks.  In  this  manner  she  continues  tacking  every  time  she 
brings  the  chase  perpendicular  to  her  course  on  either  board ; 
and,  by  thus  manoeuvring,  it  is  certain  that  the  chaser  will, 
,by  the  superiority  only  of  her  sailing,  join  the  other  in  the 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  ]J7 


shortest  time :  for,  since  the  chaser  tacks  always  as  soon  as 
the  chase  is  perpendicular  to  her  course,  she  is  then  at  the 
shortest  distance  possible  on  that  board  ;  and,  since  the  chaser 
is  supposed  to  be  the  faster  sailer,  these  shortest  distances 
will  decrease  every  time  the  chaser  tacks.  It  is,  therefore,  of 
advantage  to  the  chase  to  keep  constantly  on  the  same  course, 
without  losing  her  time  in  going  about,  as  tacking  cannot  be 
so  favourable  to  her  as  to  her  adversary,  whose  sailing  is 
superior.  If  the  captain  of  the  chaser  should  so  little  under 
stand  his  profession  as  to  stand  on  a  long  wray,  and  tack  in 
the  wake  of  the  chase,  the  best  thing  she  can  do  is  to  heave 
in  stays,  and  pass  to  windward  of  him  on  the  other  tack, 
except  she  should  find  herself  likely  to  gain  advantage  by 
going  large  ;  for,  if  the  chaser  persists  in  tacking  in  the  wake 
of  the  other  ship,  the  pursuit  will  be  very  much  prolonged. 

When  the  chase  is  to  leeward,  the  chaser  is  to  steer  that 
course  by  which  she  thinks  she  will  gain  most  on  the  chase. 
If,  after  having  run  a  short  time,  the  chase  is  found  to  draw 
more  aft,  the  chaser  should  then  bear  away  a  little  more ; 
but  if  the  chase  draw  ahead,  the  chaser  should  haul  up  a 
little,  and  thus  the  course  may  be  so  regulated  that  the  chase 
may  always  bear  on  the  same  point,  and  then  the  chaser  will 
get  up  with  the  chase  in  the  shortest  time  possible ;  for  if  any 
other  course  were  steered,  the  chaser  would  either  be  too  far 
ahead  or  too  far  astern,  and  hence  the  pursuit  would  be  pro 
longed.  The  chase  should  run  on  that  course  which  will 
carry  her  directly  from  the  chaser,  and  should  consider  which 
is  her  best  trim  with  respect  to  the  wind,  that  she  may  move 
with  the  greatest  possible  rapidity  from  the  chaser ;  for  some 
ships  have  more  advantage  in  going  large,  others  with  the 
wind  right  aft,  and  others  when  close-hauled. 

Curve  of  Pursuit. — Another  method  has  been  proposed  for 
chasing  a  ship  to  leeward ;  that  is,  by  constantly  steering 
directly  for  the  chase.  In  this  case,  the  tract  described  by 
the  chaser  is  called  the  line  or  curve  of  pursuit.  To  illustrate 
this,  let  A  (Fig.  32)  represent  the  chaser,  and  B  the  chase 
directly  to  leeward  of  her,  and  running  with  less  velocity 
than  the  pursuer,  in  the  direction  B  C,  perpendicular  to  that 


118 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


Fig.  32. 


of  the  wind.     Now,  to  construct  this  curve,  let  B  b  be  the 
distance  run  by  the  chase  in  any  short  interval  of  time ;  join 

A  b,  and  make  A  1 
equal  the  distance 
run  by  the  chaser 
in  the  same  time. 
Again,  make  b  c,  cd, 
de,  ef,  &c.,  each 
equal  to  B  b ;  join  1 
c,  and  make  12  = 
A  1 ;  join  2  d,  and 

-XV'      i  .'  i  I 

5 


make  2  3  equal  to  A 
1  ;  proceed  in  like 
manner  till  the  two 
distances,  carried  forward,  meet  at  C,  and  a  curve  described 
through  the  points  A,  1,2,  3,  &c.,  will  represent  nearly  the 
curve  of  pursuit  ;  and  the  less  the  interval  A  1  is  taken,  the 
more  accurately  will  the  curve  be  formed.  In  this  particular 
case,  the  length  of  the  distance  B  C  may  be  found  as  follows, 
provided  the  distance  A  B  and  the  proportional  velocities  of 
the  two  ships  be  known. 

Let  the  velocity  of  the  chase  be  denoted  by  a  fraction,  that 
of  the  chaser  being  unity.  Multiply  the  given  distance  A  B 
by  this  fraction,  and  divide  the  product  by  the  complement 
of  the  square  of  the  same  fraction,  and  the  quotient  will  be 
the  distance  run  by  the  chase  B.  Suppose  A  B,  the  distance 
of  the  chase  directly  to  leeward  of  the  chaser,  be  taken  at 
twelve  miles,  and  suppose  the  velocity  of  the  chase  three- 
fourths  of  that  of  the  chaser,  what  will  be  the  distance  run 
by  the  chase  before  she  is  overtaken  ? 

1  2  x  3      0 
Now  _  1  =-  = 

!—  i  2     TW 

of  the  chaser  to  that  of  the  chase  is  as  4  to  3,  hence  the  dis 
tance  run  by  the  chaser  will  be  —  20f  x  f  —  27f  miles.  As  the 
chaser  alters  her  course  at  every  point,  and  probably  sails 
better  with  the  wind  in  one  direction  with  respect  to  her 
course  than  when  the  wind  is  in  another  direction,  her  velo 
city  will  be  different  at  different  points  of  the  course.  Thus, 


'T'=20i  miles  ;  and,  since  the  velocity 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  119 


suppose  her  to  sail  faster  when  the  wind  is  on  the  quarter, 
her  velocity  will  constantly  increase  to  a  certain  point,  and 
will  then  diminish.  Hence,  in  real  practice  the  curve  of  pur 
suit  will  not  be  exactly  what  is  laid  dowrn  in  the  above  pro 
blem,  and  of  course  the  measure  of  B  C  will  differ  a  little 
from  what  we  have  there  laid  down. 

In  the  case  of  Fleets. — If  the  whole  fleet  is  to  give  chase, 
the  commander  will  make  the  proper  signal,  and  then  each 
ship  will  instantly  make  all  the  sail  possible.  If  the  retreat 
ing  fleet  is  not  much  inferior  to  the  other,  a  few  of  the  fastest 
sailing  vessels  only  are  to  be  detached  from  the  superior  fleet, 
in  order  to  pick  up  any  stragglers,  or  those  ships  which  may 
have  fallen  astern ;  and  the  remaining  part  of  the  fleet  will 
keep  in  the  same  line  or  order  of  sailing  as  the  retreating 
fleet,  so  that  they  may,  if  possible,  force  them  to  action.  But 
if  the  retreating  fleet  is  much  inferior,  the  commander  of  the 
superior  fleet  will  make  the  signal  for  a  general  chase,  and  then 
each  ship  will  immediately  crowd  all  the  sail  possible  after  the 
retreating  fleet ;  or,  if  the  chase  be  still  less  numerous,  the  com 
mander  will  detach  one  of  the  squadrons  of  his  fleet,  by  hoist 
ing  the  proper  signal  for  that  purpose,  and  he  will  followr  with 
the  remainder  of  the  fleet.  The  squadron  that  chases  should 
be  very  careful  not  to  engage  too  far  in  the  chase,  for  fear  of 
being  overpowered ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  to  endeavour  to 
satisfy  themselves  with  regard  to  the  object  of  their  chase. 
They  must  pay  great  attention  to  the  chief  commander's  sig 
nals  at  all  times ;  and,  in  order  to  prevent  separation,  they 
should  collect  themselves  before  night,  especially  if  there  be 
any  appearance  of  foggy  weather  coming  on,  and  endeavour 
to  join  the  fleet  again.  The  ships  are  diligently  to  observe 
when  the  chief  commander  makes  the  signal  to  give  over 
chase ;  and  each,  regarding  the  chief  commander's  ship  as  a 
fixed  point,  is  to  work  back  into  her  station,  so  as  to  form  the 
order  of  line  again  as  quickly  as  the  nature  of  the  chase  and 
the  distance  will  permit. 

When  a  fleet  is  obliged  to  run  from  an  enemy  who  is  in 
sight,  it  is  usual  to  draw  up  the  ships  in  that  form  or  order 
called  the  Order  of  Retreat ;  and  the  chief  commander,  when 


120  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


hard  pursued,  without  any  probability  of  escaping,  ought,  if 
practicable,  to  run  his  ships  ashore,  rather  than  suffer  them 
to  be  taken  afloat,  and  thereby  give  additional  strength  to  the 
enemy.  In  short,  nothing  should  be  neglected  that  may  con 
tribute  to  the  preservation  of  his  fleet,  or  prevent  any  part 
of  it  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  conqueror. 

We  have  now  gone  through  the  principal  evolutions  of 
fleets  and  squadrons  nearly  as  they  are  described  in  the  "  Ele 
ments  of  Rigging,  Seamanship,  and  Naval  Tactics,"  and  other 
approved  publications  on  similar  subjects.  We  have,  indeed, 
omitted  the  method  of  forcing  the  enemy's  line,  and  of  avoid 
ing  being  forced,  because  the  former  will  be  readily  under 
stood  from  what  we  have  to  add  on  the  improved  method  of 
tactics  of  Monsieur  Grenier,  and  Mr.  Clerk,  of  Eldin.' 

Defects  of  the  usual  Line  of  Battle. 

Various  defects  have  been  observed  in  the  tactics  usually 
employed  at  sea,  especially  in  a  line  of  battle,  and  in  the 
mode  of  bringing  an  enemy  to  action.  The  usual  order  of 
battle,  first  introduced  by  the  Duke  of  York,  afterwards 
James  II.  of  England,  is  defective  from  its  length.  Its  great 
extent  makes  it  difficult  for  the  chief  commander  to  judge 
what  orders  are  proper  to  be  issued  to  the  ships  stationed  at 
the  extremities,  while  his  signals,  however  distinctly  made, 
are  liable  to  be  mistaken  by  the  commanders  of  these  ships : 
besides,  the  extremities  of  a  long  line,  especially  if  it  be  to 
leeward,  are  necessarily  defenceless,  as  the  enemy  may  throw 
himself  with  a  superior  force  on  the  van  or  rear,  and  cut 
either  of  these  off  before  it  can  be  properly  supported  by  the 
other  squadrons.  Viscount  de  Grenier,  who  was,  we  believe, 
one  of  the  first  to  notice  these  defects,  proposed  to  remedy 
them  by  introducing  a  new  order  of  battle. 

Principles  of  De  Grenier 's  Method  of  Tactics. 

The  leading  principles  of  De  Grenier's  tactics  are  founded 
on  the  following  considerations.  It  is  evident  that  each  ship 
of  a  fleet  must  at  all  times  occupy  the  centre  of  a  certain 
horizon :  This  horizon  De  Grenier  divides  into  two  unequa 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA. 


121 


parts,  calling  the  greater  the  direct  and  graduated  space,  and 
the  less  the  indirect,  crossed,  and  ungraduated  space.  The 
reason  of  these  appellations  is,  that  on  the  greater  segment 
of  the  horizontal  circle  there  are  twenty  different  points, 
which  may  be  marked  by  degrees  from  one  of  the  close-hauled 
lines  to  the  other,  and  to  which  a  ship  may  sail  from  the  cen 
tre  by  so  many  direct  courses  without  tacking,  whereas  from 
the  other  twelve  points,  including  that  from  which  the  wind 
blows,  she  cannot  ar-  pio.  33 

rive  but  by  steering 
cross-courses,  which 
must  necessarily  de 
lay  her  progress.  Sup 
pose,  now,  a  fleet  to 
leeward,  so  disposed 
that  only  a  part  of  it  •: 
can  fight  with  an 
other  equally  nume 
rous,  and  ranged  to 
windward  in  a  single 
line,  and  let  the  lee 

fleet    be    ranged   on  •-"*• -i- A" 

three  sides  of  a  lozenge,  a  b,  cd,  ef,  Fig.  33.  The  squadron 
ab,  which  is  most  to  windward,  being  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle,  cannot  be  fought  but  by  an  equal  number,  A  B,  C  D, 
E  F.  All  the  rest  of  that  fleet,  therefore,  must  remain  inac 
tive,  unless  the  ships  which  are  not  engaged  should  try  to 
pass  to  leeward  of  the  fleet  a  b,  cd,  ef.  But  should  the  ships 
of  the  weather  fleet,  which  are  placed  between  B  and  F,  bear 
away,  as  they  appear  in  the  figure,  between  C  i  and  F  i,  the 
ships  between  A  and  B,  which  are  fighting  to  windward,  can 
not  bear  away  with  them.  Suppose,  now,  that  the  ships 
between  C  i  and  F  i  have  passed  to  leeward,  the  squadrons 
c  d,  ef,  which  are  ranged  according  to  De  Grenier's  system, 
and  have  not  yet  been  engaged,  should  come  to  windward, 
and  join  with  their  friends  a  b  against  that  squadron  of  the 
enemy  A  B  which  is  still  to  windward  and  engaged ;  it  is 
almost  impossible  but  that  the  squadron  AB  must  be  de- 


16 


122  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


3'  ' 

( 


stroyed  by  so  great  a  superiority,  before  it  could  receive 
assistance  from  the  ships  to  leeward  between  C  i  and  F  t. 

De  Grenier's  Orders  of  Sailing. — He  proposes  only  three 
orders  of  sailing ;  one,  when  a  fleet  is  to  pass  a  strait ;  a 
second,  when  it  steers  in  open  sea,  on  the  look-out  for  an 
enemy,  or  with  a  view  to  avoid  him ;  and  a  third,  when  on 
an  extensive  cruise,  disposed  so  that  it  cannot  be  easily  sur- 
Fig.  34,  prised  or  broken.  Of 

these  three  orders,  only 
the  second  and  third  dif- 
^  fer  fr°m  tne  usual  orders 

^-&?  of  sailin§-     The  former 

*"^    i    of  these   is   represented 
^^^c     by  Fig.  34,  where   the 
columns,  ab,  cd,  ef,  are 
disposed  on  three  sides 
of  a  regular  lozenge,  on  the  two  close-hauled  lines.     The 
ships  of  the  two  divisions  cd,  ef,  sometimes  to  windward,  as 
Figr.  35.  in  Fig.  35,  and  sometimes 

to  leeward,  as  in  Fig.  34, 
of  the  third  division  a  b, 
*^2  are  to  be  formed  on  two 

^.  ^j^'^A      ParaMels      °f    One      °f    tne 

^T.  ^..^^"^  close-hauled   lines  in  the 

wrakes  of  their  respective 

headmost  ships,  while  the  third  division,  a  b,  is  to  be  ranged 
ahead  or  astern  of  the  others  on  the  other  close-hauled  line, 
steering  chequerwise  the  same  course  as  the  other  divisions. 
When  a  b  is  to  windward  of  c  d  and  ef  (Fig.  34),  De  Grenier 
calls  that  the  windward  primitive  order  of  sailing ;  and  when 
to  leeward  (Fig.  35),  the  fleet  is  said  to  be  in  the  leeward 
primitive  order  of  sailing.  These  are  the  two  principal  posi 
tions  in  almost  every  case,  and,  writh  very  little  variety,  may 
become  the  order  of  battle,  of  chasing,  &c. 

His  third  order  is  illustrated  by  Fig.  36,  where  the  divi 
sions  a  b  and  ef  are  supposed  at  the  distance  of  about  six 
leagues  from  each  other ;  cd  and  ef  resting  on  the  extremities 
of  the  base  of  a  triangle  S  T  V,  while  the  centre  ship  of  the 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA. 


123 


division  a  b  rests  on  its  summit  T :  none  of  the  divisions 
would  be  cut  off  by  an  enemy,  however  formidable,  seen 
from  its  centre  ship  at  the  distance  of  six  leagues ;  for  if,  on 
the  proper  signal,  the  division  a  b  should  steer  from  T  towrard 

Fig.  36. 


X,  on  the  course  opposite  to  the  close-hauled  line  it  steered 
before,  and  the  two  divisions  c  d  and  ef  steer  from  V  and  S 
towards  X  likewise,  it  is  plain  that  each  of  these  divisions 
would  have  only  three  leagues  to  run  in  order  to  join  the 
other  two,  while  the  enemy,  which  was  first  perceived  at  the 
distance  of  six  leagues,  must  run  nine  before  he  can  come  up 
with  the  nearest  of  these  squadrons. 

De  Grenier's  Order  of  Battle. — To  form  De  Grenier's  order 

of  battle,  represented  in  Figs.  37  and  38,  it  will  be  sufficient 

for  the  ships  of  the  three  divisions  ranged  in  the  windward 

primitive  order  of  sailing,  to  heave  in  stays  all  together,  and 

Fig-.  37.  Fig.  38. 


get  on  the  other  tack  on  the  opposite  line  of  bearing  (Fig.  37)  ; 
or  for  the  ships  in  the  leeward  primitive  order  at  once  to  haul 
the  wind  on  the  same  tack  as  they  steer ;  and  they  will  find 
themselves  in  order  of  battle,  (Fig.  38).  When  the  two 
columns  cd  and  ef  are  to  leeward  of  the  third  division  ab, 
ranged  in  order  of  battle,  this  is  called  the  natural  order  of 
battle :  and  when  c  d  and  ef  are  to  windward  of  a  b,  this  is 


124 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


called  the  inverted  order  of  battle.  The  former  of  these  is 
calculated  for  a  fleet  combating  to  leeward,  and  the  latter  for 
a  fleet  which  must  fight  to  windward. 

To  explain  the  advantages  of  these  dispositions,  let  us  sup 
pose  the  line  A  B,  C  D,  E  F,  Fig.  39,  to  represent  an  enemy's 
fleet  to  windward  in  the  usual  order  of  battle,  on  the  close- 
Fig.  39.  hauled  line,  and  on  the 
starboard  tack;  and  let 
0    c  a  b  be  one  of  the  divi- 
sions  of  a  fleet  disposed 

0  fl  %  according    to    tne   now 
^  natural  order,  on  the  star 
board   tack,   while    the 

lines  c  d,  ef,  represent  the  other  two  divisions  standing  on 
chequerwise  on  the  same  tack,  but  formed  on  the  opposite 
close-hauled  line.  When  the  enemy  comes  to  attack  this  lat 
ter  fleet  on  a  supposition  that  it  is  inferior  to  their  own,  their 
divisions  A  B  and  E  F,  in  order  to  attack  the  ships  a  or  b, 
must  bear  away.  Now,  to  prevent  the  attack,  each  of  the 
divisions  cd,  ef,  must  make  the  following  evolutions,  accord 
ing  to  their  respective  situations  and  the  manoeuvres  of  the 
enemy.  1.  The  ships  of  the  division  ab  are  to  slacken  as 
much  as  possible  their  headways,  and  form  a  very  close  line, 
till  the  enemy  makes  a  movement  to  attack  the  headmost  or 
sternmost  ship  of  that  division.  2.  The  ships  of  the  division 
c  d  are  to  make  sail  till  they  come  under  the  second  or  third 
ship  of  the  rear  of  the  line  of  battle  a  b,  when  they  will  take 
the  same  sail  as  the  ships  of  that  division,  to  preserve  that 
position  until  the  hostile  ships  make  their  evolution  to  attack 
the  rear  ships  of  that  division.  In  this  situation  the  ships  of 
the  division  c  d  will  be  able  to  observe  the  manoeuvres  of  the 
enemy,  in  order  to  change  tack,  and  form  themselves  in  order 
of  battle  on  the  opposite  board  as  soon  as  the  hostile  ships  shall 
have  run  over  a  certain  space ;  because  the  ships  of  the  divi 
sion  c  d,  steering  afterwards  close-hauled  in  the  wake  of  the 
sternmost  ship  of  the  division  ab,  will  be  able  to  cover  the 
rear  ships  of  that  division,  and  get  the  weather-gage  of  the 
hostile  divisions  which  are  bearing  away ;  rake  their  ships ; 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  125 


run  alongside  of  them;  double  their  rear-guard,  and  put  it 
between  two  fires,  if  those  hostile  ships  are  following  in  the 
wake  of  each  others  divide  it,  if  they  bear  away  chequer 
wise  ;  or  gain  to  windward,  and  put  between  two  fires  the 
enemy's  division  C  D,  while  engaged  with  the  division  a  b. 
3.  The  division  e/may  abandon  their  post,  and  run  chequer 
wise  under  a  press  of  sail,  as  soon  as  the  enemy  falls  ahead 
of  a  b ;  that  if  the  enemy's  division  A  B  attempt  to  fall  on 
ef,  or  on  the  van  of  a  b}  they  may,  by  going  about,  steer  in 
order  of  battle  close-hauled  on  the  opposite  line,  and  cover 
the  ship  a,  double  the  hostile  division  C  D  ahead,  or  divide 
A  B,  which  is  running  chequerwise  on  the  opposite  tack. 
Fig.  40  marks  an- 

O 

other  method  of 
manoeuvring  by  the 
divisions  c  d,  e  f, 
when  the  enemy's 
ships  are  arranged 
in  a  single  line,  not 
well  formed. 

Figs.  41  and  42  ilius-  Fig.  11. 

trate  De  Grenier's  me-  <? 

thod  of  placing  the  chief  > 

I  commander's  ship,  and       £-     g?       ^ 
the  frigates  and  trans-     <£r       ^      tZ?^  O^ 
ports  attached  to  a  fleet.  ^ ^^  <^ 

A,  Fig.  41,  is  the  chief  c^>      ^ 

commander,  placed  a- 
headof  the  fleet,  at  a  short  distance  from  the  headmost  of  the 
second  division,  and  in 
the  same  direction  of 
the  wind  as  the  head 
most  ship  of  the  first 
division :  /,  /,  are  two 
frigates,  observing  the 
same  rule  and  position 
with  respect  to  the  van 
ship  of  the  third,  and 


126  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


rear  of  the  first  division.  When  the  fleet  is  in  order  of  battle, 
as  in  Fig.  42,  the  chief  commander's  ship,  A,  is  in  the  centre 
of  the  lozenge,  and  two  of  the  frigates,/,/,  are  on  the  fourth 
side  of  the  lozenge.  The  transports  and  store-ships,  when  the 
fleet  is  in  order  of  sailing  or  convoy,  occupy  the  space  cir 
cumscribed  by  the  lozenge,  but  in  order  of  battle  they  are  dis 
posed  in  a  line,  opposite  to  that  of  the  enemy. 

Such  are  the  principles  of  L'Art  de  Guerre  en  Mer,  on 
Tactique  Navale,  &c.,  par  M.  le  Viscompte  de  Grenier. 

Mr.  Clerk's  Tactics. 

His  Objections  to  the  usual  Method  of  Attack. — Before  enter 
ing  on  an  explanation  of  Mr.  Clerk's  tactics,  it  will  be  proper 
to  state  his  objections  to  the  usual  method  of  bringing  ships 
to  action,  by  the  weather  ship  or  fleet  steering  directly  down 
upon  the  enemy.     By  doing  this,  the  enemy  to  leeward  often 
has  an  opportunity  of  completely  disabling  the  ships  making 
the  attack,  as  the  former  can  use  all  their  guns  on  one  side, 
while  the  latter  can  only  use  their  bow-chasers.     Suppose  B, 
Fig.  43.      ^     Fig.  43,  to  represent  a  ship  of    Fig.  44. 
& eighty  guns  to  windward,  in  sight        * 
of  an  enemy's  ship  of  equal  force, 
F,  to  leeward.    Now,  if  B  bears 

_jp down  directly  upon  F,  the  latter, 

by  lying  to,  as  in  Fig.  44,  will 
present  a  broadside  of  forty  guns,  all  bearing  for  a 
considerable  time  on  B,  while  the  latter,  coming  down  head- 
wise,  can  only  bring  the  two  light  guns  of  her  forecastle  to 
bear  on  F ;  not  to  mention  that  F,  by  lying  broadside  to,  will 
have  her  masts  and  rigging  little  exposed  to  the  enemy's  shot, 
while  B,  standing  head  on,  is  exposed  to  be  raked  by  every 
shot  from  F ;  and  in  particular,  her  rigging  is  in  the  utmost 
danger. 

Clerk's  new  method. — Instead  of  this  objectionable  mode  of 
attack,  Mr.  Clerk  proposes  that  B,  having  the  wind,  should 
run  down  astern,  as  in  the  dotted  line  at  Fig.  45,  till  she  gets 
into  the  course  of  F,  near  her  wake,  or  in  such  a  position  as 
"will  bring  her  parallel  to  F's  course,  and  within  a  proper 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  127 


distance,  when  she  can  run  up  close  alongside  of  F,  and  engage 
on  equal  terms;  or,  that  she  should  shoot  ahead,  then  veer, 

Fig.  46. 
Fig.  45.  B 


and  run  down  on  the  weather  bow  of  F,  as  in  Fig.  46,  till  she 
can  force  the  chase  to  bear  away  to  leeward,  keeping  close 
by  her,  on  equal  terms,  taking  care,  in  both  cases,  not  to  put 
it  in  the  power  of  F  to  bring  her  broadside  to  bear  on  her 
without  retaliation. 

Effects  of  firing  at  the  Hull  or  Rigging. 

Fig.  47  is  employed  by  Mr.  Clerk  to  illustrate  the  different 
procedure  of  a  French  and  an  English  man  of  war  in  firing, 
the  former  at  the  rigging,  and  the  latter  at  the 
hull  of  the  enemy,  with  their  effects.  Let  F 
represent  a  large  ship  desirous  of  avoiding  a 
close  engagement,  but  lying  to  to  receive  with 
advantage  an  enemy's  ship,  B,  of  equal  force. 
Suppose  that  F,  by  firing  at  the  rigging  of  B, 
may  have  carried  away  some  of  the  principal  stays,  several 
of  the  windward  shrouds,  a  fore-topmast,  or  other  rigging  of 
less  consequence,  without  having  wounded  a  single  man ;  and 
suppose  a  second  ship,  consort  to  F,  receiving  an  enemy's 
ship  like  B,  but  firing  only  at  her  hull,  so  as  to  kill  thirty  or 
forty  men,  without  damaging  her  rigging.  Now,  when  F 
and  her  consort  wish  to  avoid  a  close  engagement,  it  is  evi 
dent  that  the  ship  B,  which  has  lost  part  of  her  rigging,  is 
much  more  disabled  from  coming  to  close  action  than  her 
consort,  whose  rigging  is  entire,  though  she  may  have  lost  a 
great  number  of  her  men. 


128  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


One  Ship  of  the  Line  cannot  be  exposed  to  the  Fire  of  many 

Ships. 

By  the  scheme  at  Fig.  48,  it  is  intended  to  illustrate  the 
impossibility  of  one  ship  being  exposed  to  the  fire  of  many 
ships  at  one  time.  Let  I,  H,  F,  H,  I,  represent  five  ships  in 
line  of  battle  ahead,  about  a  cable's  length,  or  240  yards 
asunder  ;  and  suppose  the  length  of  each  ship  to  be  forty 
yards,  so  that  the  whole  space  between  the  head  of  one  ship 
and  the  head  of  that  next  adjacent  equals  280  yards.  Let 
the  perpendicular  line  F  K,  extending  from  the  beam  of  F 
six  cables'  lengths,  or  1440  yards,  be  divided  into  six  equal 
parts.  It  is  evident  that  any  ship  stationed  at  E  in  the  line 
F  K,  720  yards  distant,  cannot  long  be  exposed  to  the  fire  of 
more  than  the  centre  ship,  F,  of  this  squadron.  For,  if  we 
suppose  that  H  and  K,  ahead  and  astern  of  F,  can  bring 
their  broadsides  to  bear  on  E,  by  putting  themselves  in  posi 
tions  for  that  purpose,  they  will  not  only  disorder  their  own 
Fig.  48.  lme»  but  one  will  leave  her  head  and 

|f  the  other  her  stern  exposed  to  a  raking 

fire  from  the  opposite  ships  B  B  in  the 
/'-£  \  enemy's  line.     If  B  can  suffer  little 

/  ^  \  from  the  two  ships  H,  H,  at  the  dis- 

/  /  5  \  \  tance  of  720  yards,  it  is  evident  that 

•  7*  ~/K\\  sne  W*M  suffer  still  less  from   these 

ships  as  she  approaches   nearer   the 
\  BY  B  enemy's  line.     Again,  if,  instead  of  a 
cable's  length  asunder,  we  suppose  the 

^'  *J  two 


H.  r  H  i:  der,  f0  bear  on  the  ship  B,  it  is  evident 
from  the  figure,  that  in  this  case  B  will  not  be  more  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  I  and  I  at  the  distance  of  1440  yards,  than  she 
was  to  that  of  H  and  H  at  half  that  distance  ;  and  so  in 
similar  cases. 

Principles  on  which  the  bringing  of  Ships  to  Action  is  founded. 

In  explaining  the  principles  on  which  we  are  to  judge  of 
the  advantages  or  defects  of  different  modes  of  bringing  ships 


WARLIKE   OPERATIONS    AT   SEA.  129 

to  action,  Mr.  Clerk  supposes  a  fleet  of  ten,  twenty,  or  more 
ships  of  eighty  guns  each,  Fig.  49. 

drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  B  u 

to  leeward,  as  at  F,  (Fig.     ^  ^  o-o~€=jJ 
49),  and  lying  to  with  an 

intention   of   avoiding   an  R 

action ;  while  another  fleet 

as  B,  of  equal  number  and  force,  also  drawn  up  in  line  of 
battle,  three  or  four  miles  to  windward,  wishes  to  make  an 
attack,  and  come  to  close  quarters  on  equal  terms.  The  fleets 
I  being  thus  disposed,  should  the  fleet  at  B  attempt  running 
down  to  attack  the  fleet  at  F,  each  ship  standing  head  on  to 
the  opposite  ship  in  the  leeward  line,  it  is  to  be  expected, 
from  what  we  have  already  stated,  that  the  attacking  ships 
will  be  disabled  at  least  in  their  rigging  before  they  can  come 
to  close  action;  but,  suppose  that  the  commander  of  the 
weather  fleet,  though  his  ships  have  been  disabled  in  their 
rigging  during  their  course  a  a  a,  to  leeward,  Fig.  50,  has 
made  them  bring  to  at  a  great 
distance,  but  sufficiently  near  to 
injure  F  ;  this  latter  fleet,  which 
has  been  endeavouring  to  avoid 
an  action,  will  now  bear  away 
with  little  injury  to  a  new  station, 
as  G,  and  there  remain  out  of  the 
reach  of  B's  shot ;  and  this  fleet 
must  repair  its  rigging  before  it  can  make  another  attack. 

Again,  suppose  that  the  fleet  B,  instead  of  standing  head 
on,  were  to  run  down  in  an  angular  course,  as  in  Fig.  51.    It 
is  plain  that  if  any  ship  in 
this  angular  line  should  be  Fi£-  5I- 

crippled,  her  defect  in  sail 
ing  will  occasion  a  confusion 
of  several  of  the  other  ships 
in  that  line.  It  may  be  said, 
that  the  stoppage  of  one 
ship  ahead  will  not  necessarily  produce  a  stoppage  of  every 
ship  astern  of  her,  because  they  may  run  to  leeward  of  the 

~       17 


130 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


disabled  ship ;  but  we  must  observe  that  by  this  time  the 
ships  ahead  in  the  van  of  A  may  be  engaged,  and  consequently, 
not  having  much  headway,  are  nearly  stationary,  so  that  each 
ship  astern,  in  attempting  to  bear  down,  as  at  D,  D,  may  be 
confined  to  a  certain  course,  and  must  run  the  risk  of  being 
raked  in  coming  down  before  the  wind,  and  consequently,  of 
being  disabled  before  coming  up  with  the  enemy. 

Thirdly,  the  van  of  the  fleet  B  having  attained  their  sta 
tion  at  A,  abreast  of  the  van  of  F,  Fig.  52,  and  having  begun 

the  action,  the  van 
Fig-  52-  ships  of  F,  with  a 

view  to  retreat,  may 

A  throw  in   a  broad- 

^  ^  ^  &  . , 

^  .  a*.-  ^.^       side  on  the  van  of 

-»*-^^E  e%    »l         *||  B,   and   then   bear 

away  in  succession, 

as  at  H,  followed  by  the  rest  of  the  fleet  F,  which,  after  ex- 
Fi    53  changing  broadsides  with 


j  the  van  of  B,  may  draw 

» 


Fig.  54. 


CD  £31=^-00  ED 


three  miles  to  leeward,  at  I,  I,  Fig.  53. 

Suppose,  again,  for  further  illustration,  that  B,  Fig.  54, 

represents  a  fleet  put 
ting  before  the  wind, 
each  ship  intending, 
when  brought  to  at  a 
determined  distance  at 
JA  A,  to  take  up  her  par 

ticular    antagonist    in 
the  line  of  the  enemy, 
a        F,  to  leeward ;  and  let 
• 1 ^ j. — _j._ _|         p  be  supposed  at  rest, 

without  any  motion  a- 
H  head.      It   is   easy   to 

»-.---«».—  «» — »~~  - <9-~ — -ife  conceive  that,  while  the 
alternate  ships  of  F's  line,  under  cover  of  the  smoke,  with 
draw  from  battle  to  G,  G,  G,  the  intermediate  ships  left  be 
hind  them  in  the  line  will  be  sufficient  to  amuse  even  the 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA. 


131 


whole  of  B's  fleet,  till  the  ships  G  shall  form  a  new  line  H, 
as  a  support  from  the  leeward.  In  such  case  B,  after  being 
disabled,  and  not  having  foreseen  the  manoeuvre,  will  neither 
be  able  to  prevent  the  intermediate  ships  with  which  he  is 
engaged  from  bearing  away  to  join  their  friends,  nor,  were 
he  able,  would  it  be  advisable  to  follow  them ;  for  the  same 
manoeuvre,  with  equal  success,  can  again  and  again  be  repeated. 

To  explain  the  relative  motion  of  these  two  fleets,  let  F, 
Fig.  55,  represent  a  fleet  of  twelve  ships  in  line  of  battle,  a 
cable's  length  asun-  Fig.  55. 

der,  and  suppose 
the  length  of  each 
ship  from  the  end 
of  the  jib-boom  to 
the  stern  to  be  36J 
fathoms.  The  whole 
fleet  will  occupy  a 
space  of  two  Eng 
lish  miles ;  and  if  it 
be  supposed  to  sail 
in  the  direction  F 
G,  at  the  rate  of  four  knots  an  hour,  it  will  in  an  hour  have 
moved  to  G,  four  miles  from  its  former  position. 

Now,  let  there  be  an  opposite  fleet  B,  also  twelve  ships, 
situated  four  miles  to  windward,  and  let  the  point  A  be  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  right  to  windward  of  the  point  G.  Then, 
if  B,  by  bearing  away  in  the  direction  B  A,  gain  the  point 
A  at  the  same  time 
that  the  leeward  fleet 
F  has  arrived  at  G, 
B  will  have  moved 
nearly  at  the  rate  of 
5£  miles  an  hour,  and 


the  angle  contained 
between  the  direc 
tion  of  its  line  of 
bearing  and  its  pre 
sent  course  will  be  nearly  four  points. 






i, 

\ 

\ 

\ 

a 

\ 

\ 

2 
>     ..». 

WM» 

.^i 

132  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


Secondly,  in  Fig.  56,  if  F,  by  carrying  more  sail,  move  at 
the  rate  of  six  miles  an  hour  from  F  to  G,  then  B,  with  a 
more  slanting  course,  will  have  more  difficulty  in  keeping  the 
line  abreast  while  coming  down  to  the  attack,  owring  to  the 
additional  obstruction  which  will  attend  each  succeeding  ship 
in  such  a  slanting  course.  Again,  if  the  leeward  fleet  shall 
lie  up  one  point  higher,  as  F  G,  Fig.  57,  the  rears  of  the 

two  fleets  will  be  re- 


B 

moved    to   a   much 

1  ^ 

• 

**H""*j 

--- 

1    greater  distance,and 
1~~~~—-Jt*.^-.  ^  •.  j  -..'j    the  van  A  must  be 

j_ 

••—"—i  ~~' 
-  \ 

— 

S  ^^^^--L...   IA  sooner  up  with  the 
*^ia  enemy's  van,  and  of 

I  — 

*  ' 

_p_ 

.-.--• 

---  ~'p~-4*^  t  ~--B  course,  so  much  far- 

..-•*  \  +  **-L 

KJM    I       1       !    ther   from   support, 

1     ' 

*      a      4       6-     t;      7    while  F,  bringing  up 

his  ships  in  succession,  may  disable  the  van  of  A,  and  after 
wards  bear  away  at  pleasure  with  little  injury,  as  at  H.  Now 
B  being  supposed  disabled,  and  having  his  rear  D,  distracted, 
will  be  unable  to  prevent  F  from  escaping. 

From  these  considerations,  it  appears  that  a  fleet  to  wind 
ward,  by  extending  its  line  of  battle,  with  a  view  to  stop  and 
attack  the  whole  line  of  an  enemy's  fleet  to  leeward,  must 
labour  under  considerable  disadvantages,  and  will  scarcely 
succeed  in  the  attempt. 

New  Mode  of  Attack  from  the  Windward. 

On  these  principles  Mr.  Clerk  explains  the  reason  why  the 
French  fleets  so  repeatedly  escaped  from  the  English  without 
|  any  serious  defeat  or  loss,  viz.,  by  avoiding  a  genera!  engage 
ment,  and  disabling  the  English  van  as  it  bore  down  to  at 
tack  them.  He  therefore  recommends  a  different  mode  of 
attack  from  the  windward,  which  we  shall  proceed  to  illus 
trate  by  proper  diagrams. 

Let  F,  Fig.  58,  represent  a  fleet  in  line  of  battle,  under 
easy  sail,  willing  to  avoid  an  action,  but  ready  to  receive  an 
attack  in  the  usual  way,  from  another  fleet  B,  three  or  four 
miles  to  windward,  arranged  in  three  columns.  How  shall 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  133 


B  make  the  attack  on  F,  so  as,  without  aiming  at  the  impro- 

Fig.  58. 


bable  advantage  of  taking  or  destroying  the  greater  part  of 
this  fleet,  they  may  secure  three  or  four  of  the  sternmost 
ships  ?  Mr.  Clerk  advises  that  a  sufficient  strength  be  de 
tached  to  secure  these  ships,  while  the  chief  commander  keeps 
aloof  with  the  rest  of  his  fleet,  disposed  as  in  the  figure,  ready 
to  make  the  necessary  observations,  and  give  the  requisite 
support  to  the  detached  ships.  If  F  continues  to  avoid  an 
action  by  standing  on  in  line,  the  detachment,  coming  into 
the  position  B  A,  will  secure  the  three  ships  at  I;  and  if  the 
headmost  ships  of  F  were  to  tack,  and  be  followed  by  the 
rest  in  succession,  as 

in  Fig.  59,  not  only  Fig.  59. 

the  three  ships  at  I 
will  be  left  at  the 
mercy  of  the  ships 
detached  from  B,  but 
two  more,  as  G,  will  be  exposed  to  an  attack  from  another 
squadron  of  B,  at  C.  If  all  the  ships  of  F  tack  together,  as 
in  Fig.  60,  the  delay,  Fig.  60. 

and     probably     the  %=>*<=> 

confusion,  consequent  ^ 

on  this  manoeuvre, 
will  still  more  en- 
danger  the  sternmost 
ships,  or  will  bring  on  a  general  and  close  action.  Again,  if 
F  attempts  to  haul  off,  beginning  with  his  sternmost  ship  G, 
and  then  runs  to  leeward,  as  at  Fig.  61,  he  will  expose  his 
ships  to  a  raking  fire  from  B,  and  still  endanger  his  sternmost 
ships,  by  getting  too  far  to  leeward  for  their  support ;  or,  if 


134 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


the  headmost  ships  at  H,  Fig.  62,  veer  first,  and  be  followed 
Fig.  61.  by  the   rest   astern,   the 

danger    would    be     still 
greater.    Thus  it  appears 

that>  in  every  assignaWe 

case,  a  fleet  to  leeward, 

Fig.  6*2,  Fig,  63. 


avoiding  an  attack  from  an  equal  or  superior  to  windward, 
as  here  advised,  by  preserving  the  line,  will  risk  the  loss  of 
three  or  more  of  their  sternmost  ships. 

Now,  let  us  suppose  that  F,  while  standing  on  a  line  on  the 
larboard  tack,  when  threatened  with  an  attack  on  his  rear 
from  B,  veers  and  passes  on  opposite  tacks  to  leeward,    (See 
Fi(r  64  Fig.  63.)  The  consequence 

0.  of  this  will    be,  that  his 

B  ^v-^^3^  ^€3<=je3     headmost    ships    will    be 
*    *^  j&r***"^ji*i*'  mm  ^  **     forced  to   leeward  by  B, 
0  0  3  and  compelled  to  engage 

rk    i  under  disadvantageous  cir- 

\x  cumstances;  and  the  dis- 

^ -•«»— •-•!*-*•»--**  advantage   to  F   will   be 

much   the   same,  whether  he  again  veers   and   resumes  his 
Fig-  65-  former  position,   as   at   G, 

&~&~&z~<£:s~*^.^    Fig.  64,  or   stands  on  be- 
~-~r~^-^+»^^    fore  the  wind  as  at  P,  Fig. 

*    '      ^65. 
(h   fv  We    have    hitherto   sup- 

i  I  posed   that   the   wind    has 

lp  been  fixed  to  one  point ;  but 

$  let   us   suppose  it  to  shift, 

and  let  us  inquire  what  will  be  the  effect  of  such  a  circum 
stance  on  the  two  lines  F  and  B.  While  the  fleets  are  in  the 
former  position,  F  in  line,  and  B  in  four  divisions,  B,  B,  B,  A, 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  135 

steering  east,  with  the  wind  at  north,  (Fig.  66,)  let  the  wind 

Fig.  66. 


G 

shift  to  the  west.     The  only  consequence  of  this  will  be,  that 

F  will  be  thrown  still  farther  to  leeward,  to  its  greater  dis 

advantage.       But    let 

the  wind  shift  to  east, 

so  as  to  be  ahead,  as  z^  ^  ^> 

in  Figs.  67   and   68  ;  _«  _% 

still,  if  the  commander  B  (D'iJ 

of  B  manages  properly,  !J  ;| 

and  carefully  watches         ,.  -vA-v  ,         ^  ^'$ 

the  motions  of  F,  this  ••?     ^  &       m  0 

change  will  produce  no 

advantage  to  the  latter. 

For  B  has  nothing  to 

do  but  veer  as  the  wind 

comes  round,  so  as  to  bring  his  ships  to  windward  of  the  three 

sternmost  ships  of  F,  and  to  leeward  of  the  rest  of  his  line, 

so  as  to  cut  off  the  three  sternmost  ships. 

If  the  wind   should 

be    supposed    to    veer  Fi£'  68< 

from  point  to  point,  al! 
round  the  compass,  so 
that  the  fleet  F,  main-  B 

taining  the  weather- 
gage  of  B,  shall  make  a 
circuit  round  B  to  lee, 
ward;  still,  if  B  act 
cautiously,  F  will  lose 
the  three  threatened 
ships. 


136  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


Lastly,  suppose  the  wind  should  instantly  shift  to  a  point 
opposite  to  what  it  was  at  the  commencement  of  the  attack, 
as  from  north  to  south.  Before  it  can  be  ascertained  whether 
such  a  change  will  be  to  the  advantage  or  disadvantage  of  F, 
the  relative  situations  of  the  two  fleets  must  be  considered. 
Suppose  that  the  van  and  centre  be  separated  at  some  dis 
tance  from  his  rear,  and  that  in  consequence  this  fleet  shall 
have  taken  such  a  position  as  is  shown  at  Fig.  69.  Though 
Fi  69  in  this  case  he  will  have 

got   to   windward,   his 
three   ships  can   never 

%^  be  regained  or  preserved 

from  the  attack  of  B. 


The    .most    favourable 

0&^  .  0+    situation  for  F  would  be 

T       &**  when  the  fleets  were  in 

^  the  position  denoted  by 

Fig.  66,  as  then  he  could  not  only  support  his  three  ships 
with  advantage,  but  even  threaten,  and  cut  off  a  part  of  B's 
detachment.  In  attempting  this,  however,  he  incurs  the  risk 
of  coming  to  a  close  engagement,  which  we  have  supposed 
him  to  be  sedulously  avoiding. 

From  the  Leeward. 

Besides  this  method  of  attack  from  the  windward,  by  de 
tachments  from  the  main  fleet,  Mr.  Clerk  shows  how  a  suc 
cessful  attack  may  be  made  by  a  fleet  to  leeward,  by  its  break 
ing  the  enemy's  line,  and  this,  either  near  the  rear,  near  the 
centre,  or  not  far  from  the  van,  of  which  cases  the  two  former 
will  be  most  likely  to  prove  successful.  The  enemy's  line  can 
only  be  cut  when  the  two  hostile  fleets  veer  on  opposite  tacks. 
The  most  simple  method  of  effecting  this  is,  for  the  van  ship 
of  the  attacking  squadron,  instead  of  ranging  parallel  to  that 
of  the  enemy,  and  to  leeward  of  him,  to  pass  through  the  first 
interval  that  offers,  followed  by  the  rest  of  the  line,  which  is 
thus  led  across  that  of  the  enemy.  In  consequence  of  this 
manoeuvre,  the  van  of  the  leeward  fleet  will  be  to  windward 
of  the  enemy's  rear,  and  thus  the  attacking  squadron  will 


WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  137 


have  its  line  entire,  while  that  of  its  adversary  is  divided. 
Again,  the  ships  of  the  rear  division,  having  their  progress 
obstructed,  will  probably  crowd  on  each  other,  get  into  confu 
sion,  and  be  driven  to  leeward. 

Having  now  laid  down  the  fundamental  rules  by  which 
armies  and  fleets  are  managed,  we  shall,  in  the  next  chapter, 
commence  the  American  Wars,  at  a  period  when  WASHINGTON 
commences  his  great  career,  and  the  British  urge  their  pre 
posterous  doctrine — the  right  of  taxing  colonies  not  repre 
sented  in  her  government ;  which  led,  finally,  to  a  rupture 
between  the  "  mother  country"  and  her  infant  colonies. 


18  M* 


138  THE   ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1753. 


PART  II. 


FRENCH  AND  INDIAN  WAR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Introduction — Cause  of  the  War — The  Ohio  Company — George  Washington's 
Mission  to  the  Western  Wilderness — Hia  Sufferings  and  -Dangers — His  Return. 

WHEN  our  enterprising  fathers  had  become  willing  exiles 
I  far  from  the  land  of  their  birth,  to  seek  a  home  in  an  almost 
unknown  and  trackless  wilderness,  where  they  hoped  to  escape 
from  that  religious  persecution,  and  political  oppression,  which 
had  for  ages  swept  like  a  moral  pestilence  over  the  earth,  or 
lay  as  a  heavy  load  on  the  souls  of  men;  when  their  un 
ceasing  toils  had  opened  the  forest  to  the  fertilizing  rays  ol 
the  sun,  and  sheltered  them  from  the  inclemency  of  the 
elements ;  when  they  had  struggled  for  years  against  a  foe 
who  was  eloquent  in  council,  brave  and  artful  in  the  field, 
ferocious  in  anger,  their  lives  teeming  with  disgusting  excess 
and  brutal  passion,  despising  danger  and  death,  neither  asking 
for,  nor  extending  mercy ;  when  they  had  encountered  the 
shaggy  bear,  and  heard  the  terrifying  roar  of  the  lion,  the 
fierce  growl  of  the  sanguinary  tiger,  and  the  howl  of  the  ra 
pacious  wolf  around  their  little  habitations,  where  the  general 
stillness  which  reigned  in  the  vast  forest  was  broken,  only  by 
the  thunder  of  the  cataract,  the  deep  voice  of  Indians,  or 
the  moanings  of  wild  beasts,  as  they  "  roared  after  their  prey, 
and  sought  their  meat  from  God ;"  when  the  quarrels  between 
foreign  monarchs  had  involved  our  fathers  in  a  bloody  war 


1753.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR,  139 


with  the  French  and  Indians  in  the  reign  of  William  III ; 
when  the  jealousy  subsisting  between  the  British,  French, 
and  Spanish,  aided  by  an  ungovernable  thirst  for  power  and 
dominion  in  America,  had  again  impoverished  and  distressed 
the  colonies,  crimsoned  the  soil  with  the  blood  of  the  valiant 
in  the  time  of  Queen  Anne's  War ;  when  similar  causes  had 
aroused  the  demon  War  again,  to  spread  terror  and  death, 
with  fire  and  sword,  in  the  reign  of  George  II,  during  which 
periods,  men  professing  to  be  Christians,  turned  those  ruthless 
blood-hounds  of  the  forest  against  each  other,  who,  rushing 
from  their  ambushes  with  fiendish  yell,  often  waged  inglorious 
war,  with  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife,  against  the  weak 
and  the  innocent ;  and  when  all  these  horrors,  like  a  legion  of 
destroying  fiends,  had  stalked  over  the  infant  colonies,  crush 
ing  for  a  time  almost  every  ray  of  hope,  and  darkening  the 
tortured  mind  with  dread  and  paralyzing  despair,  hope  burst 
suddenly  upon  their  delighted  vision,  and  the  gladdened  mul 
titude  with  tearful  eyes 

"  Gave  to  seraphic  harps  their  sounding  lays, 
Their  joys  to  angels,  and  to  men  their  praise." 

Human  happiness  or  misery  is  more  acutely  felt  by  con 
trast.  Men  who  excite  themselves  to  joy  and  hilarity  one 
day,  are  gloomy  and  often  miserable  the  next,  by  contrast. 
This  is  the  case  after  a  ball,  or  other  great  convivial  sports, 
not  so  much  from  the  fatigue,  as  from  the  deprivation  of  the 
stimulus  of  the  exhilirating  scene.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  men 
are  depressed  until  their  agonized  hearts  seem  to  bleed ;  if  the 
cause  of  misery  is  merely  removed,  this  negative  joy  will 
almost  make  them  frantic.  These  being  facts  which  every 
reflecting  mind  must  acknowledge,  it  is  easy  to  conceive  the 
mental  agony  of  the  colonists,  when  again  the  dread  tocsin 
fell  upon  their  startled  ears,  ushering  in  a  seven  years'  war, 
which  once  more  hurried  them  from  their  peaceful  homes  to 
engage  in  the  bloody  conflict. 

This  is  commonly  called  the  French  and  Indian  War; 
though  rather  indefinitely,  for  in  reality  it  was  a  war  between 
France  and  England,  in  which  the  Indians  were  employed  as 
allies. 


140  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1753. 


The  cause  of  this  war  was  the  alleged  encroachments  of  the 
French  upon  Nova  Scotia,  upon  the  Ohio  territory,  and  even 
Virginia. 

The  French  had  founded  New  France  or  Canada.  Quebec 
and  Montreal  were  strongly  fortified,  as  well  as  other  settle 
ments  in  New  France.  The  frontier  was  also  defended  at 
Louisburg,  Cape  Breton,  by  the  forts  of  Lake  Champlain, 
Niagara,  Crown  Point,  Ticonderoga,  and  at  other  points. 

With  such  a  formidable  power,  commanding  the  lakes  in 
the  north,  with  the  possession  of  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi 
river  in  the  south,  having  settled  a  colony  in  Louisiana,  the 
French  formed  the  bold  and  grand  design  of  erecting  a  chain 
of  fortifications  from  their  northern  to  their  southern  posses 
sions,  drive  the  English  back,  and  restrict  their  settlements  to 
the  eastern  side  of  the  Alleghany  mountains. 

In  pursuance  of  this  design,  the  French  built  a  fort  at 
Presqu'  He,  on  Lake  Erie,  others  along  French  Creek,  and  at 
a  later  period  fort  Du  Quesne,  at  the  confluence  of  the  Alle 
ghany  and  Monongahela  rivers.  A  fort  was  also  built  at  the 
junction  of  the  Wabash  and  Ohio,  together  with  temporary 
fortifications  at  proper  distances. 

By  placing  the  map  of  the  United  States  before  you,  marking 
the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  river,  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash, 
Pittsburg,  the  course  of  French  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  Ohio, 
and  the  lakes  of  the  north,  you  will  perceive  the  contemplated 
chain  of  defence.  This  expedient  may  at  least  serve  to  keep 
us  awake  until  we  shall  hear  the  noise  of  battle. 

The  hostile  feelings  and  intentions  already  existing,  it  only 
required  some  overt  act  to  light  the  smoking  torch  of  war 
into  a  full  blaze. 

The  Ohio  Company,  so  called  from  the  river  of  that  name, 
composed  of  influential  men  from  London  and  Virginia,  had 
obtained  a  charter  grant  of  a  large  tract  of  land  near  the 
Ohio,  for  the  twofold  purpose  of  settling  the  country,  and 
trading  in  fur  with  the  Indians.  The  Governor  of  Canada 
determining  to  execute  the  favourite  project  of  uniting  Canada 
with  Louisiana,  wrote  to  the  Governors  of  Pennsylvania  and 
New  York,  declaring  that  he  would  seize  all  English  traders 


1753.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  141 

who  would  make  further  encroachments  upon  what  he  es 
teemed  French  territory.  As  the  land  had  been  granted  to 
the  English  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  they  regarded 
the  French  as  presumptuous  intruders,  and  thus,  viewing  each 
other  like  two  pugnacious  cats  in  a  garret,  the  English  con 
tinued  their  trade  with  the  Indians  until  several  of  them  were 
seized  and  carried  to  Presqu'  He  on  Lake  Erie. 

This  aroused  the  indignation  of  the  company,  who,  com 
plaining  to  Dinwiddie,  Lieut.  Governor  of  Virginia,  a  full  and 
eloquent  statement  of  the  aggressions  of  the  French  was  laid 
before  the  Assembly,  which  empowered  the  Lieut.  Governor 
to  despatch  a  messenger  to  the  French  commandant  stationed 
within  the  disputed  territories,  to  demand  explanations  of  his 
hostile  conduct,  and  to  order  him  to  withdraw  his  troops  from 
the  English  possessions. 

But  who  would  have  the  courage  to  undertake  so  arduous 
and  dangerous  a  mission,  and  who  would  have  the  capacity 
to  execute  it  ?  Who  would  wander  through  an  almost  unex 
plored  wilderness,  over  so  large  a  surface  of  country,  inhabited 
only  by  Indians,  many  of  whom  were  hostile  to  the  English  ? 
A  young  man  aged  only  twenty -one  years  appears  before  his 
excellency.  The  down  of  youth  has  just  commenced  growing 
on  his  cheek.  He  dreads  no  danger,  but  his  proud  and  lofty 
soul,  already  developed,  shrinks  back  from  the  thought  that 
he  might  be  rejected  on  account  of  his  youth.  George  Wash 
ington  never  trembled  in  the  presence  of  a  foe.  He  never  dis 
obeyed  the  call  of  his  country,  however  difficult  or  perilous 
the  task  to  be  performed.  He  never  undertook  the  most  Her 
culean  task  that  did  not,  in  the  end,  gain  him  the  esteem  and 
applause  of  his  countrymen. 

The  governor  places  a  commission  into  his  hands.  And 
now,  like  Luther,  who  would  go  to  Worms,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  though  as  many  devils  as  there  are  tiles  on  the 
houses  were  there  combined  against  him,  Washington  resolved 
to  go,  though  all  the  Indians,  with  the  commander-in-chief  of 
the  legion  to  which  Luther  alluded,  should  oppose  him ;  and 
not  to  relax  his  efforts  until  he  arrived  at  the  destined  fort,  in 
the  western  wilderness. 


142  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1753i 


See,  where  the  Alleghany  mountain  invades  the  sky, 
"  On  a  throne  of  rocks,  in  a  robe  of  clouds, 
With  a  diadem  of  snow." 

The  winter  blasts  drive  back  the  life-blood  upon  the  shudder 
ing  hearts  of  men ;  the  clouds  roll  in  swift  and  heavy  masses 
along  the  arched  vault  of  the  heavens ;  the  tempestuous  winds 
tear  from  the  earth  the  majestic  oak  and  hurl  it  down  from 
the  dizzy  height  with  a  crash  that  echoes  over  the  trembling 
earth ;  torrents  of  rain  sweop  furiously  through  the  air,  and, 
mingling  with  the  snow,  quickly  swell  the  silvery  streamlets 
into  dark  and  howling  rivers,  until 

"  Wide  o'er  the  brim,  with  many  a  torrent  swell'd, 
And  the  mix'd  rum  of  its  banks  o'erspread, 
At  last  the  roused-up  river  pours  along : 
Resistless,  roaring,  dreadful,  down  it  comes 
Prom  the  rude  mountain,  and  the  mossy  wild, 
Tumbling  through  rocks  abrupt,  and  sounding  far ; 
Then  o'er  the  sanded  valley  floating  spreads, 
Calm,  sluggish ;  till  again,  constrain'd, 
Between  two  meeting  hills,  it  bursts  away 
Where  rocks  and  woods  o'erhang  the  turbid  stream ; 
It  boils,  and  wheels,  and  foams,  and  thunders  through," 

Now  look  again,  and  you  will  see  a  young  man  aged  about 
twenty-one  years  climbing  up  the  mountain,  with  breathless 
toil,  wet,  and  hungry,  and  cold,  amid  the  terrible  war  of  the 
elements.  His  servants,  and  even  the  tawny  sons  of  the 
forest  who  guide  his  way,  look  around  them  with  dismay ;  but 
he  toils  onward  with  a  countenance  that  bespeaks  the  high 
unwavering  soul,  the  dauntless  heart,  the  love  of  true  and 
honourable  glory.  The  welfare  of  his  country  uppermost  in 
his  mind,  has  become  a  passion  which  rolls  like  a  torrent  over, 
and  crushes  every  thought  of  danger  or  bodily  suffering. 

Again,  we  see  young  Washington  wander  on  the  Monon- 
gahela,  where  he  holds  council  with  the  Indian  chiefs  with 
the  wisdom  of  a  Nestor. 

He  travels  again,  accompanied  by  the  chiefs,  a  distance  of 
sixty  miles,  through  incessant  rains,  until  they  arrive  at  a 
French  fortification,  at  the  mouth  of  French  Creek,  a  branch 
of  the  Ohio,  where  they  met  Capt  Joncaire,  who  sends  them 


1753.]  FRENCH    AND   INDIAN    WAR.  143 


on  another  four  days'  journey  up  the  creek,  during  which  they 
encounter  excessive  rains,  snow,  mire,  swamps,  and  every 
thing  that  is  abominable  to  the  traveller,  to  a  fort  commanded 
by  a  general  officer. 

Washington  delivers  his  letter,  and  receives  in  answer  from 
the  commandant,  M.  St.  Pierre,  that  he  was  only  responsible 
to  the  Governor  of  Canada,  under  whose  orders  he  was  acting. 

And  now,  hear  the  man  who  afterwards  wrenched  a  sceptre 
from  the  paws  of  the  British  lion,  and  placed  it  into  the 
hands  of  his  countrymen.  He  is  now  returning  part  of  the 
way  by  water,  having  sent  his  horses  forward : 

"  We  had  a  tedious  and  very  fatiguing  passage  down  the 
creek.  Several  times  we  had  like  to  have  been  staved  against 
rocks ;  and  many  times  were  obliged  all  hands  to  get  out  and 
remain  in  the  water  half  an  hour  or  more,  getting  over  the 
shoals.  At  one  place,  the  ice  had  lodged,  and  made  it  impass 
able  by  water ;  we  were,  therefore,  obliged  to  carry  our  canoe 
across  the  neck  of  land,  a  quarter  of  a  mile  over.  We  did 
not  reach  Venango  until  the  22d  December. 

"  This  creek  is  extremely  crooked ;  I  dare  say,  the  distance 
between  the  fort  and  Venango  cannot  be  less  than  one  hun 
dred  and  thirty  miles,  to  follow  the  meanders." 

At  Venango,  situated  at  the  mouth  of  French  creek, 
Washington  met  his  horses  again.  He  continues, 

"  Our  horses  were  now  so  weak  and  feeble,  and  the  baggage 
so  heavy,  (as  we  were  obliged  to  provide  all  the  necessaries 
which  the  journey  would  require,)  that  we  doubted  much 
their  performing  it.  Therefore,  myself  and  others,  except 
the  drivers,  who  were  obliged  to  ride,  gave  up  our  horses  for 
packs,  to  assist  along  with  the  baggage.  I  put  myself  in  an 
Indian  walking-dress,  and  continued  with  them  three  days, 
until  I  found  there  was  no  probability  of  their  getting  home 
in  any  reasonable  time.  The  horses  became  less  able  to 
travel  every  day ;  the  cold  increased  very  fast ;  and  the  roads 
were  becoming  much  worse  by  a  deep  snow,  continually 
freezing ;  therefore,  as  I  was  uneasy  to  get  back,  to  make  re 
port  of  my  proceedings  to  his  honour  the  Governor,  I  deter- 


144  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1753. 


mined  to  prosecute  my  journey,  the  nearest  way  through  the 
woods,  on  foot. 

"Accordingly,  I  left  Mr.  Vanbraam  in  charge  of  our  bag 
gage,  with  money,  and  directions  to  provide  necessaries  from 
place  to  place  for  themselves  and  horses,  and  to  make  the 
most  convenient  despatch  in  travelling. 

"  I  took  my  necessary  papers,  pulled  off  my  clothes,  and 
tied  myself  up  in  a  watch-coat.  Then,  with  gun  in  hand, 
and  pack  on  my  back,  in  which  were  my  papers  and  provi 
sions,  I  set  out  with  Mr.  Gist,  fitted  in  the  same  manner,  on 
Wednesday,  the  26th.  The  day  following,  just  after  we  had 
passed  a  place  called  Murdering  Town,  (where  we  intended 
to  quit  the  path  and  steer  across  the  country  for  Shannapins 
Town,)  we  fell  in  with  a  party  of  French  Indians,  who  had 
laid  in  wait  for  us.  One  of  them  fired  at  Mr.  Gist  or  me,  not 
fifteen  steps  off,  but  fortunately  missed.  We  took  this  fellow 
into  custody,  and  kept  him  until  about  nine  o'clock  at  night, 
then  let  him  go,  and  walked  all  the  remaining  part  of  the 
night  without  making  any  stop,  that  we  might  get  the  start 
so  far,  as  to  be  out  of  the  reach  of  their  pursuit  the  next  day ; 
since  we  were  well  assured  they  would  follow  our  track  as 
soon  as  it  was  light.  The  next  day  we  continued  travelling 
until  quite  dark,  and  got  to  the  river  (Monongahela)  about 
two  miles  above  Shannapins.  We  expected  to  have  found 
the  river  frozen,  but  it  was  not,  only  about  fifty  yards  from 
each  shore.  The  ice,  I  suppose,  had  broken  up  above,  for  it 
was  driving  in  vast  quantities. 

"  There  was  no  way  for  getting  over  but  on  a  raft ;  which 
we  set  about,  with  but  one  poor  hatchet,  and  finished  just 
after  sun-setting.  This  was  a  whole  day's  work :  we  next 
got  it  launched,  then  went  on  board  of  it,  and  set  off:  but 
before  we  were  half-way  over,  we  were  jammed  in  the  ice 
in  such  a  manner,  that  we  expected  every  moment  our  raft  to 
sink,  and  ourselves  to  perish.  I  put  out  my  setting-pole  to 
try  to  stop  the  raft,  that  the  ice  might  pass  by ;  when  the 
rapidity  of  the  stream  threw  it  with  so  much  violence  against 
the  pole,  that  it  jerked  me  out  into  ten  feet  water ;  but  I  for 
tunately  saved  myself  by  catching  hold  of  one  of  the  raft-logs. 


1754.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  145 


"  Notwithstanding  all  our  efforts,  we  could  not  get  on  either 
shore,  but  were  obliged,  as  we  were  near  an  island,  to  quit 
our  raft  and  make  to  it. 

"  The  cold  was  so  extremely  severe,  that  Mr.  Gist  had  all 
his  fingers,  and  some  of  his  toes  frozen ;  and  the  water  was 
shut  up  so  hard,  that  we  found  no  difficulty  in  getting  off  the 
island  on  the  ice,  in  the  morning,  and  went  to  Mr.  Frazier's. 
I  We  met  here  with  twenty  warriors,  who  were  going  to  the 
I  southward  to  war ;  but  coming  to  a  place  on  the  head  of  the 
Great  Kanawa,  where  they  found  seven  people  killed  and 
scalped,  (all  but  one  woman  with  very  light  hair,)  they 
turned  about  and  ran  back,  for  fear  the  inhabitants  should 
rise  and  take  them  as  the  authors  of  the  murder.  They  report 
that  the  bodies  were  lying  about  the  house,  and  some  of  them 
much  torn  and  eaten  by  the  hogs.  By  the  marks  which  were 
left,  they  say  they  were  French  Indians  of  the  Ottoway  na 
tion,  &c.,  who  did  it. 

"  From  the  first  day  of  December  to  the  fifteenth,  there  was 
but  one  day  on  which  it  did  not  rain  or  snow  incessantly ;  and 
throughout  the  whole  journey,  we  met  with  nothing  but  one 
continued   series   of  cold,  wet   weather,  which  occasioned 
|  very  uncomfortable  lodgings,  especially  after  we  had  quitted 
|  our  tent,  which  was  some  screen  from  the  inclemency  of  it." 
Washington  commenced  this  journey  from  Williamsburg, 
1  on  the  31st  of  October,  1753,  and  returned  on  the  16th  of 
January,  1754,  when  he  received  the  thanks  of  his  govern 
ment,  and  the  applause  of  the  people. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  British  Ministry  instructs  the  Virginians  to  expel  the  French  from  the  Ohio 
Territory — Young  Washington's  first  Campaign — Marches  to  the  Great  Meadows 
—Surprises  and  takes  a  Detachment  of  French  and  Indians — Erects  a  Stockade — 
Attacked  by  Count  de  Villier— -Brave  Defence  against  Superior  Numbers— Accepts 
honourable  Terms  of  Capitulation— Receives  the  Thanks  of  the  Legislature. . 

THE  French  having  shown  no  disposition  to  relinquish  the 
territory  which  they  claimed  by  right  of  discovery,  the  British 

19  i 


146  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1754. 

ministry  instructed  the  inhabitants  of  Virginia  to  expel  their 
unwelcome  neighbours  from  the  Ohio  Territory  by  the  force 
of  arms. 

A  regiment  of  three  hundred  men  was  raised,  which  was 
joined  by  an  independent  company  from  South  Carolina,  and 
Washington,  who  had  been  appointed  one  of  the  Adjutants- 
General  of  Virginia,  with  the  rank  of  Major,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  years,  to  train  the  militia  for  actual  service,  was  now, 
in  the  twenty-third  year  of  his  age,  raised  to  the  rank  of 
Colonel,  and  intrusted  with  the  command  of  this  little  army. 

In  April,  1754,  Washington  marched  for  the  Great  Meadows, 
in  the  disputed  territories,  to  which  he  hastened  to  protect 
the  people,  and  to  preserve  the  good  will  of  the  friendly  In 
dians,  who  might  otherwise  be  influenced  by  the  enemy. 

On  his  arrival  he  was  informed  by  some  friendly  Indians 
that  the  French  were  engaged  in  completing  a  fortification 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Alleghany  and  Monongahela  rivers, 
and  that  a  detachment  of  French  and  Indians  from  that  sta 
tion  had  encamped  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Great  Meadows. 
The  friendly  Indians  serving  as  guides,  Washington  marched 
during  a  dark  and  rainy  night,  surrounded,  surprised,  fired, 
and  rushed  upon  the  enemy  about  day-break,  wrho  immediately 
surrendered.  One  of  the  enemy  was  killed,  and  one  ran 
away.  The  former  was  their  commander,  Jumoville,  and  the 
other  will  excuse  us  for  not  recording  his  name,  which,  by 
some  singular  negligence,  was  not  made  immortal  in  a  bulletin; 
which,  however,  was  better  than  to  have  a  bullet-in  his  body ; 
at  least  this  appears  to  have  been  his  philosophy. 

If  some  mischievous  individual  should  feel  inclined  to  pro 
nounce  this  daring  enterprise  of  young  Washington,  where 
only  one  man  was  killed,  a  mere  Quixotic  adventure,  or  a 
Hudibrastic  exploit,  or  compare  it  with  a  battle  in  the  latter 
work,  where  only  one  man  (the  fiddler)  is  wounded  in  his 
wooden  leg  and  his  fiddle,  let  it  be  remembered,  that  it  is 
easier  to  kill  a  bear  than  to  catch  one  alive.  Or,  if  you  prefer 
the  figure,  take  a  herd  of  buffaloes  for  the  bear.  Before  we 
conclude  our  work  we  may  be  able  to  show  that  Washington 
was  famous  for  catching  armies  alive  ! 


1754.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  147 

After  erecting  a  small  stockade  or  military  fence,  made 
with  stakes  or  posts  fastened  in  the  earth,  which  was  subse 
quently  called  fort  Necessity,  the  troops  proceeded  towards 
fort  Du  Quesne,  with  something  less  than  four  hundred  men, 
to  take  that  place :  but  after  marching  about  thirteen  miles, 
they  were  told  by  their  Indian  friends,  in  their  peculiar  and 
figurative  language,  that  the  enemy  was  coming  as  thick  as 
the  wild  pigeons  of  the  woods,  \vhich  in  those  days  were  ex 
ceedingly  numerous  in  "  pigeon  time."  Washington  imme 
diately  retreated  to  his  little  fort,  on  which  Count  de  Villier, 
with  about  1100  men,  French  and  Indians,  soon  made  a  most 
furious  attack  from  behind  the  trees  and  high  grass,  which 
was  resisted  with  a  bravery  and  skill  that  elicited  the  astonish 
ment  and  military  admiration  of  the  French. 

A  handful  of  young  men,  who  had  never  found  much  use 
for  razor-strops,  who  had  just  relinquished  their  hold  on  their 
mothers'  apron  strings,  surrounded  by  three  times  their  num 
ber  of  experienced  French  warriors,  and  desperate  savages, 
whose  brutal  delight  is  war,  plunder,  and  torture  of  their 
captives ;  far  away  from  their  homes,  their  relations,  and  the 
aid  of  their  countrymen ;  in  a  vast  wilderness,  which  to  them 
must  have  appeared  at  once  a  desert  and  a  grave,  not  only 
sustain  the  shock  from  morning  at  ten  o'clock  until  dark,  by 
fighting  in  the  fort,  but  also  on  the  outside,  in  a  ditch  nearly 
filled  with  mud  and  water,  where  Washington  himself  con 
tinued  all  day.  Their  little  volcano  was  in  a  continuous  state 
of  eruption.  The  wild  animals  fled  in  the  utmost  consternation, 
then  stopped,  looked  dismayed,  and  ran  again.  The  wild  bird, 
with  a  scream,  forsook  its  nest  and  rushed  through  the  thicket ; 
then  returning  towards  its  young,  is  seized  with  alarm  and 
flies  again ;  and  all  are  marvelling  at  the  dreadful  tumult  that 
shakes  their  native  woods. 

After  this  long  and  desperate  conflict,  in  which  about  fifty- 
eight  of  the  Virginia  regiment  were  killed  and  wounded,  with 
a  number  of  the  Independents,  and  about  two  hundred  of  the 
enemy,  a  fearful  proportion  of  their  whole  number,  on  both 
sides,  the  French  commander  offered  the  most  honourable  terms 
of  capitulation,  for  the  second  time.  Washington,  aware  that 


148  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1754. 

he  must  ultimately  be  overpowered  by  numbers,  signed  the 
articles,  surrendered  the  fort,  marched  out  with  all  the  honours 
of  war,  kept  his  arms  and  baggage,  marched  to  Virginia, 
received  the  thanks  of  the  legislature  for  himself  and  the 
officers  under  his  command,  three  hundred  pistoles  for  his 
soldiers,  and  shouts  of  applause  from  his  countrymen. 


CHAPTER   III. 

British  Ministry  recommend  a  Union  of  the  Colonies,  and  to  make  a  Treaty  with 
the  "  Five  Nations" — Convention  at  Albany — Treaty  with  the  Indians — Plan  of 
Uniting  the  Colonies — Rejected — British  Ministry  propose  another  Plan — Also 
rejected — Parliament  resolves  to  carry  on  the  War  with  British  Troops,  aided  by 
the  Colonists — General  Braddock  despatched — Plan  of  Campaign— Expedition 
against  French  Forts  in  Nova  Scotia— Expedition  against  Fort  Du  Quesne — Brad- 
dock's  Defeat  and  Death — Washington's  Bravery  and  extraordinary  Escape — 
D unbar' s  Flight — Dreadful  Murders  and  Outrages  of  the  Indians — Washington 
endeavours  to  arrest  them — Governor  Shirley's  Expedition — General  William 
Johnson's  Expedition. 

THE  British  ministry  perceiving  that  more  energetic 
measures  would  be  necessary,  recommended  to  the  colonies 
to  unite  their  strength  for  the  common  defence,  and  to  make 
a  treaty  with  the  "  Five  Nations." 

In  accordance  with  this  recommendation,  through  the  Earl 
of  Holderness,  Secretary  of  State  to  the  colonial  governors, 
a  convention  of  delegates  from  Massachusetts,  New  Hamp 
shire,  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  Pennsylvania,  and  Mary 
land,  with  the  lieutenant-governor  and  council  of  New  York, 
assembled  at  Albany,  where  they  effected  a  treaty  with  the 
Five  Nations,  and  adopted  a  plan  for  uniting  the  colonies  on 
the  4th  of  July,  1754,  the  day  on  which  Washington  surren 
dered  fort  Necessity. 

The  plan  of  union  of  the  colonies  was  to  form  a  general 
assembly  of  delegates  from  all  the  colonies,  with  a  governor- 
general  appointed  by  the  crown,  who  would  not  only  have 
a  negative  voice  on  the  acts  of  the  council,  but  power  to 
raise  money  and  troops  in  the  colonies,  lay  duties,  regulate 
tcade,  &c. 


1754-5.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  149 

This  proposed  union  \vas  objected  to  by  the  provincial 
assemblies  and  the  British  government.  By  the  former, 
because  it  conferred  too  much  power  on  the  king,  and  by  the 
latter,  on  the  ground  that  such  a  union  of  the  people  might 
endanger  the  supremacy  of  the  mother  country.  Indeed  the 
fears  of  both  parties  were  well  founded ;  for  the  British 
government  soon  after  claimed  and  urged  the  power  of  taxing 
the  colonies,  and  the  provincial  assemblies  declared  that  if  a 
union  of  the  colonies  would  be  effected  they  could  defend  them 
selves  against  the  enemy  without  any  assistance  of  England. 
Such  an  assertion  might  indeed  startle  the  king  on  his  throne ; 
for  if  the  united  colonists  had  no  fear  of  so  powerful  an  enemy 
as  the  French,  at  their  doors,  they  had  no  reason  to  dread 
the  roar  of  the  British  lion  at  a  distance. 

The  British  ministry  now  proposed  another  plan,  by  which 
they  would  enjoy  all  the  benefits  resulting  from  victory  with 
out  bearing  any  of  the  expenses.  They  wished  to  unite  the 
governors  with  one  or  two  of  their  council  into  a  convention, 
I  who  should  meet  and  adopt  measures  to  carry  on  the  war, 
with  the  privilege  of  drawing  upon  the  British  treasury  for 
the  necessary  sums.  This  scheme  met  with  universal  dis 
approbation  among  the  colonists,  as  it  contained  a  provision 
that  Parliament  would  undertake  to  repay  the  expenses  of 
the  war  by  imposing  a  general  tax  upon  the  colonies.  As  the 
colonies  were  not  represented  in  the  British  Parliament,  this 
proceeding  would  at  once  lead  to  dependence  and  slavery, 
and  expose  them  to  the  stupid  insolence,  the  cruel  oppression, 
and  wide-spread  impositions  of  king's  collectors. 

The  British  Parliament,  afraid  at  this  critical  period  to 
throw  any  more  such  fire-brands  among  the  colonists,  which 
might  arouse  their  just  indignation,  determined  to  relinquish 
the  subject  of  taxation  for  the  present,  and  to  carry  on  the 
war  with  British  troops,  aided  by  occasional  reinforcements 
from  the  colonies. 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1755,  one  of  the  most  important 
campaigns  was  commenced  that  had  ever  occurred  in  Ame 
rica.  Both  nations  sent  reinforcements  from  Europe.  Gen 
eral  Braddock  was  despatched  from  Ireland  to  America  at 


150  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1755. 


the  head  of  two  regiments  of  infantry,  commanded  by  Sir 
Peter  Halket  and  Colonel  Dunbar,  and  in  April  he  convened 
the  colonial  governors,  in  Virginia,  to  arrange  a  plan  for  the 
ensuing  campaign.  Three  expeditions  were  planned.  The 
first,  commanded  by  Braddock  himself,  was  to  march  against 
fort  Du  Quesne ;  the  second  against  forts  Niagara  and  Fron- 
tinac,  under  the  command  of  Governor  Shirley  of  Massachu 
setts;  and  the  third,  commanded  by  General  William  Johnson, 
a  member  of  the  New  York  council,  was  to  march  against 
Crown  Point  with  a  body  of  militia  raised  in  New  England 
and  New  York. 

While  the  convention  of  governors  was  sitting  in  Virginia, 
another  expedition,  consisting  of  3000  militia  of  Massachu 
setts,  under  Lieutenant-colonel  Monckton,  sailed  from  Boston 
on  the  20th  May,  against  the  French  forts  in  Nova  Scotia. 
They  arrived  at  Chignecto,  on  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  on  the  llth 
of  June,  and  being  joined  by  300  British  troops,  with  a  small 
train  of  artillery,  they  proceeded  against,  invested,  and  took 
fort  Beau  Sejour,  after  a  hot  siege  of  four  days,  and  its  name 
was  changed  to  fort  Cumberland.  Monckton,  proceeding 
further  into  the  country,  took  the  other  French  forts,  dis 
armed  the  inhabitants,  and  to  prevent  them  from  joining  the 
French  in  Canada,  expelled  them  from  the  province,  and 
dispersed  them  throughout  the  colonies  !  This  was  a  dreadful 
fate :  to  become  roving  vagabonds  in  the  enemy's  country, 
where  a  different  language  was  spoken  from  their  own,  ren 
dering  them  unable  to  engage  in  any  business  to  advantage, 
while  the  strong  prejudices  of  all  around  them  made  their 
situation  peculiarly  distressing.  A  boundary,  however,  be 
tween  the  English  and  the  French  possessions  in  Nova  Scotia, 
which  had  occasioned  many  disputes,  was  by  this  means 
quickly  and  permanently  settled,  and  the  British  were  pos 
sessed  of  the  whole  of  Nova  Scotia,  according  to  their  own 
definition  of  its  boundaries. 

As  soon  as  the  convention  of  governors  was  dissolved, 
General  Braddock  commenced  his  march  from  Virginia,  in 
June,  with  his  two  British  regiments  of  infantry  and  a  few 
corps  of  provincial  militia,  amounting  in  all  to  2200  men. 


1755.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR,  151 


On  his  arrival  at  fort  Cumberland,  in  the  western  part  of 
Virginia,  the  army  wras  detained,  waiting  for  some  of  the 
wagons,  horses,  and  provisions. 

The  French  were  yet  wreak  on  the  Ohio,  but  they  daily 
xpected  reinforcements.     It  was  determined,  therefore,  that 
L200  of  the  best  soldiers  should  be  selected,  and  ten  pieces  of 
cannon ;  and  this  force,  commanded  by  Braddock  in  person, 
was  to  advance  with  the  utmost  expedition  to  fort  Du  Quesne 
Colonel  Dunbar  and  Major  Chapman,  with  the  remainder  of 
the  troops,  and  the  heavy  baggage,  to  follow  more  slowly. 

The  select  troops,  though  their  carriages  and  ammunition 
wagons  were  strongly  horsed,  did  not  make  the  rapid  progres 
that  was  anticipated,  for,  said  Colonel  Washington,  in  a  letter 
written  during  the  march,  to  his  brother,  "  I  found  that  in 
stead  of  pushing  on  with  vigour,  without  regarding  a  little 
rough  road,  they  were  halting  to  level  every  mole-hill,  and  to 
erect  bridges  over  every  brook."  At  the  end  of  four  days 
they  were  only  nineteen  miles  from  the  Little  Meadows 
where  they  had  separated  from  the  remainder  of  the  army. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  Braddock  reached  the  Monongahela 
being  then  about  sixty  miles  in  advance  of  Colonel  Dunbar 
and  about  twelve  from  fort  Du  Quesne.     He  had  been  ad 
vised  to  proceed  with  caution,  to  guard  against  ambushes 
before  he  came  to  this  country,  and  his  officers  now  reasonec 
with  him  again.     Washington,  one  of  his  aids,  particularly 
represented  to  him  what  kind  of  enemy  he  had  to  deal  with 
that,  instead  of  coming  forward  to  a  fair  contest,  they  woulc 
conceal  themselves  behind  rocks  and  trees,  from  which  they 
could  fire  with  their  rifles  in  comparative  safety.     He  con 
eluded  by  offering  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  Virginia 
riflemen,  to  be  prepared  to  fight  the  enemy  in  their  own  way 
if  necessary,  or  at  least,  by  scouring  the  woods,  guard  th 
army  against  surprise.     Haughty  and  self-confident,  Brad 
dock  treated  this  salutary  advice  with  contempt ;  cursed  the 
young   "buckskin"   who  wrould  presume  to  teach  a  Britisl 
officer  how  to  fight,  and  ordered  him  and  his  soldiers  to  the 
rear  of  the  British  troops. 


152  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1755. 


The  conduct  of  Braddock  resembled  the  recklessness  of  the 
madman,  rather  than  that  of  a  man  of  genuine  courage. 

On  the  9th  day  of  July,  when  about  seven  miles  from  the 
fort,  he  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a  body  of  French  and 
Indians,  estimated  at  about  900. 

The  appalling  war-whoop  of  the  savages  is  now  heard 
through  the  woods  ;  the  messengers  of  death  come  in  showers 
upon  the  British ;  the  van-guard  falls  back  upon  the  main 
army ;  the  troops  are  ordered  to  form  and  advance  in  columns 
through  the  woods!  Again  the,  enemy  pour  upon  them  a 
deadly  and  incessant  fire  from  their  hiding-places,  secure  from 
danger  themselves.  Officers  and  men  are  falling  rapidly  into 
the  embraces  of  death,  and  the  whole  body  is  thrown  into 
the  utmost  confusion.  They  are  formed  again  by  the  obsti 
nate  commander,  as  if  he  desired  them  to  become  a  more 
certain  mark  for  a  concealed  foe.  He  sees  his  men  fall  in 
scores  without  the  ability  to  defend  themselves,  or  the  most 
remote  probability  of  future  success  in  such  a  position ;  and 
yet,  he  compels  them  to  stand  as  targets  for  the  enemy,  for  a 
period  of  three  hours,  during  which  about  700  of  the  British 
were  killed  or  wounded ;  when  his  madness  terminated  in  his 
own  fall,  after  five  horses  had  been  shot  under  him.  The 
officers  mounted  on  horseback  were  sure  marks  for  the  enemy, 
and  out  of  sixty-five,  all  were  shot  down  except  one,  and  that 
was  George  Washington.  Two  horses  were  killed  under  him, 
and  four  bullet-holes  ornamented  his  military  coat. 

"  The  foe  came  on,  and  few  remain 
To  strive,  and  those  must  strive  in  vain : 
For  lack  of  further  lives,  to  slake 
The  thirst  of  vengeance  now  awake, 
With  barbarous  blows  they  gash  the  dead, 
And  lop  th'  already  lifeless  head." 

After  the  fall  of  Braddock  the  remains  of  the  army  fled  in 
disorder,  and  Washington,  with  his  provincials,  who  had  been 
held  in  such  contempt  before  the  battle,  covered  their  retreat, 
and  saved  them  from  destruction. 

"  I  expected  every  moment,"  says  an  eye-witness,  "  to  see 
Washington  fall ;"  as  his  duty  as  aid  exposed  him  to  the  most 


1755.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  153 

imminent  danger  during  the  engagement,  and  when  left  alone, 
he  appeared  to  offer  himself  a  willing  sacrifice  for  the  ill-fated 
fugitives. 

An  old  Indian  marksman  swore  that  Washington  was  not 
born  to  be  shot,  "  for,"  said  he,  "  I  had  seventeen  fair  fires  at 
him  with  my  rifle,  and  after  all  I  could  not  bring  him  to  the 
ground." 

In  a  sermon  preached  after  Braddock's  defeat,  by  the  Rev. 
M.  Davis,  the  following  remarkable  sentence  occurs :  "  I  beg 
leave  to  point  the  attention  of  the  public  to  that  heroic  youth, 
Colonel  George  Washington,  whom  I  cannot  but  hope  Provi 
dence  has  preserved  for  some  great  service  to  this  country.9' 

The  flight  of  the  British  was  precipitate.  No  pause  was 
made  until  they  met  Dunbar's  division,  where  Braddock, 
carried  thither  by  Washington,  died  of  his  wounds.  Here 
Dunbar's  troops  took  the  panic  by  contagion,  and  all  fled  to 
fort  Cumberland,  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from 
the  field  of  death.  In  this  situation  their  services  might  have 
been  of  great  importance  in  defending  the  frontier,  had  they 
remained ;  but  trembling  both  at  heart  and  knees,  they  ran, 
they  flew  to  Philadelphia,  under  Colonel  D unbar.  Having 
satisfied  themselves  that  the  enemy  were  not  close  to  their 
heels,  they  resolved  upon  taking  up  their  winter-quarters.  It 
is  true  this  was  in  August,  but  the  Colonel,  no  doubt,  consider 
ably  chilled  by  the  late  disaster,  probably  anticipated  a  very 
early  winter.  Washington,  in  speaking  of  the  flight  of  the 
British  troops,  says,  "  In  spite  of  every  effort  to  the  contrary, 
they  broke,  and  ran  as  sheep  before  the  hounds,  leaving  the 
artillery,  ammunition,  provisions,  baggage,  and  in  short  every 
thing,  a  prey  to  the  enemy ;  and  when  we  endeavoured  to 
rally  them,  in  hopes  of  regaining  the  ground,  and  what  we 
had  left  upon  it,  it  was  with  as  little  success  as  if  we  had 
attempted  to  have  stopped  the  wild  bears  of  the  mountains." 

In  the  following  lines  Hesper  shows  the  future  to  Columbus : 

"  And  now  a  friendly  host  from  Albion's  strand 
Arrives  to  aid  her  young  colonial  band. 
They  join  their  force,  and  toward  the  falling  day 
Impetuous  Braddock  leads  their  hasty  way ; 

20 


154  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1755. 

O'er  Alleghany  heights,  like  streams  of  fire, 
The  red  flags  wave,  and  glittering  arms  aspire 
To  meet  the  savage  hordes  who  there  advance 
Their  skulking  files  to  join  the  arms  of  France. 

Where,  old  as  earth,  yet  still  unstain'd  with  blood, 
Monongahela  roll'd  his  careless  flood, 
Flank'd  with  his  mantling  groves  the  fountful  hills 
Drain'd  the  vast  region  through  his  thousand  rills, 
Lured  o'er  his  lawns  the  buffalo  herds,  and  spread 
For  all  his  fowls  his  piscatory  glade ; 
But  now  perceives,  with  hostile  flags  unfurl'd, 
A  Gallic  fortress  awe  the  western  world ; 
There  Braddock  bends  his  march ;  the  troops  within 
Behold  their  danger  and  the  fire  begin ; 
Forth  bursting  from  the  gates  they  rush  amain, 
Front,  flank,  and  charge  the  fast  approaching  train ; 
The  batteries  blaze,  the  leaden  volleys  pour, 
The  vales,  the  streams,  the  solid  mountains  roar ; 
Clouds  of  convolving  smoke  the  welkin  spread, 
The  champaign  shrouding  in  sulphureous  shade. 
Lost  in  the  rocking  thunder's  loud  career, 
No  shouts  nor  groans  invade  the  patriarch's  ear ; 
Nor  valorous  feats  are  seen,  nor  flight  nor  fall, 
But  one  broad  burst  of  darkness  buries  all, 
Till,  chased  by  rising  winds,  the  smoke  withdrew, 
And  the  wide  slaughter  opened  on  his  view. 
He  saw  the  British  leader  borne  afar, 
In  dust  and  gore,  beyond  the  wings  of  war ; 
And  while  delirious  panic  seized  his  host, 
Their  flags,  their  arms  in  wild  confusion  toss'd, 
Bold  in  the  midst  a  youthful  warrior  strode, 
And  tower'd  undaunted  o'er  the  field  of  blood ; 
He  checks  the  shameful  rout,  with  vengeance  burns, 
And  the  pale  Britons  brighten  where  he  turns. 
So,  when  thick  vapours  veil  the  nightly  sky, 
The  starry  hosts  in  half-seen  lustre  fly, 
Till  Phosphor  rises  o'er  the  twinkling  crowd, 
And  gives  new  splendour  through  his  parting  cloud. 

Swift  on  a  fiery  steed  the  stripling  rose, 
Form'd  the  light  files  to  pierce  the  line  of  foes, 
Then  waved  his  gleamy  sword  that  flash'd  the  day, 
And  through  the  Gallic  legions  hew'd  his  way : 
His  troops  press  forward  like  a  loose  broke  flood, 
Sweep  ranks  away  and  smear  their  paths  in  blood  ; 


1755.]  WARLIKE    OPERATIONS    AT    SEA.  155 


The  hovering  foes  pursue  the  combat  far, 
And  shower  their  balls  along  the  flying  war, 
When  the  new  leader  turns  his  single  force, 
Pouits  the  flight  forward,  speeds  his  backward  course  : 
The  French,  recoiling,  half  their  victory  yield, 
And  the  glad  Britons  quit  the  fatal  field." 

Thus  terminated  one  of  the  most  disastrous  campaigns  on 
the  records  of  history,  not  only  from  its  immediate  conse 
quences,  but,  by  inflaming  the  passions  of  a  rapacious  and 
vindictive  foe,  with  a  victory  too  easily  won,  and  extensive 
plunder  too  readily  obtained,  they  afterwards  spread  terror, 
dismay,  and  death  over  the  unprotected  colonies,  Virginia 
and  Pennsylvania,  accompanied  by  acts  of  cruelty,  outrage, 
and  fiendish  torture,  that  shock  our  nature  and  wound  our 
moral  dignity,  to  think  that  man  should  ever  fall  so  low. 

On  the  frontier,  the  French  and  Indians  murdered  and 
captured  men,  women  and  children,  burning  their  houses  and 
destroying  their  crops,  until  the  settlements,  in  some  districts, 
were  entirely  broken  up.  Those  who  escaped  from  the  bar 
barous  foe,  instead  of  attempting  to  defend  themselves,  fled 
into  the  lower  country,  spreading  big-eyed  alarm,  open- 
mouthed  terror,  and  magnified  dangers  in  their  progress. 

Washington,  at  this  critical  period,  was  called  upon  to 
defend  the  frontier ;  but  owing  to  the  want  of  energy  and 
vigour  in  the  proceedings  of  the  assembly  of  Virginia,  and  the 
universal  panic  among  the  people,  the  means  under  his  con 
trol  were  totally  inadequate  to  the  task.  He  represented  to 
the  assembly,  that  to  cover  so  extensive  a  frontier,  it  would 
be  necessary  to  increase  the  number  of  regulars  to  two  thou 
sand  men.  He,  however,  preferred  another  plan,  which  was 
to  obtain  artillery  and  engineers,  or  assistance  from  the 
mother  country,  or  the  other  colonies,  to  drive  the  en6my 
from  fort  Du  Quesne. 

When  the  enemy  had  glutted  their  vengeance,  they  re- 
crossed  the  Alleghany  mountains,  from  which  they  returned 
the  following  April  (1756),  to  renew  their  depredations  and 
murders,  in  small  skulking  parties,  who  could  seldom  be  found 
until  some  horrid  deed  was  committed.  This  fully  demon- 


156  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1755. 


strated  the  superiority  of  Washington's  plan  of  raising  a 
force  sufficient  to  strike  a  blow  at  the  heart  of  the  enemy,  by 
attacking  their  fort,  instead  of  attempting  to  scratch  or  bite 
his  extremities. 

In  speaking  of  the  dreadful  calamities  among  the  western 
inhabitants,  Washington,  in  a  letter  to  the  lieutenant-gover 
nor,  says :  "  I  see  their  situation,  I  know  their  danger,  and 
participate  their  sufferings,  without  having  it  in  my  power 
to  give  them  further  relief  than  uncertain  promises.  In  short, 
I  see  inevitable  destruction  in  so  clear  a  light,  that,  unless 
vigorous  measures  are  taken  by  the  assembly,  and  speedy 
assistance  sent  from  below,  the  poor  inhabitants  now  in  forts 
must  unavoidably  fall,  while  the  remainder  are  flying  before 
the  barbarous  foe.  In  fine,  the  melancholy  situation  of  the 
people,  the  little  prospect  of  assistance,  the  gross  and  scan 
dalous  abuses  cast  upon  the  officers  in  general,  which  is  re 
flecting  on  me  in  particular,  for  suffering  misconduct  of  such 
extraordinary  kind,  and  the  distant  prospect,  if  any,  of  gain 
ing  reputation  in  the  service,  cause  me  to  lament  the  hour 
that  gave  me  a  commission,  and  would  induce  me,  at  any 
other  time  than  this  of  imminent  danger,  to  resign,  without 
one  hesitating  moment,  a  command  from  which  I  never  ex 
pect  to  reap  either  honour  or  benefit,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
have  almost  an  absolute  certainty  of  incurring  displeasure 
below,  while  the  murder  of  helpless  families  may  be  laid  to 
my  account  here. 

"  The  supplicating  tears  of  the  women,  and  moving  petitions 
of  the  men  melt  me  with  such  deadly  sorrow,  that  I  solemnly 
declare,  if  I  know  my  own  mind,  I  could  offer  myself  a  will 
ing  sacrifice  to  the  butchering  enemy,  provided  that  would 
contribute  to  the  people's  ease." 

We  will  now  turn  away  from  this  melancholy  scene  before 
our  faces  become  too  much  elongated,  and  inquire  after  Gov 
ernor  Shirley's  expedition  against  the  forts  Niagara  and 
Frontinac,  and  General  William  Johnson's  against  Crown 
Point. 

And  now,  ye  shades  of  the  illustrious  dead,  who  have 
wielded  the  style  or  the  pen  in  commemoration  of  the  deeds 


1755.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  157 

of  heroes,  grant  us  your  liberality  if  we  fail  to  record  the 
wonderful  deeds  of  his  excellency  with  that  dignity  which 
this  august  subject  demands,  and  that  philosophy  to  which  so 
prolific  a  lesson  should  never  fail  to  direct  us  !  The  magni 
ficent  conceptions  of  Homer ;  the  refined  majesty  of  Virgil ; 
the  sweetness  and  elegance  of  Horace ;  the  bold  and  sublime 
effusions  of  Milton ;  the  graceful  and  easy  style  of  Addisort ; 
the  tenderness  and  sublimity  of  Ossian ;  and  the  natural 
elegance  of  Goldsmith,  all  combined,  might  do  the  subject 
justice !  Now,  reader,  if  you  find  fault  with  this  string  of 
notions  on  what  you  may  consider  too  grave  a  subject,  let 
me  tell  you,  as  a  friend,  before  it  is  too  late,  that  many  a 
clever  fellow  has  died  of  the  blues,  for  the  want  of  a  little 
risibility  under  his  waistcoat  to  shake  them  out  at  the  sides. 
Cheer  up,  cheer  up,  there  is  no  use  to  make  too  long  a  face ; 
though  we  must  confess,  matters  look  rather  gloomy  just  now ; 
but  go  to  work  merrily  (I  mean  reading,  not  fighting),  instead 
of  suffering  half  your  energies  to  be  cramped  with  awful 
forebodings  andpoltic  nightmares.  Remember  that  Hanni 
bal's  whole  army  laughed — officers  and  all — just  before  the 
battle  of  Canna3,  at  a  good-humoured  remark  of  their  chief, 
and  the  result  of  that  battle  is  well  known.  When  Alexander 
besieged  Nyssa,  the  Macedonians  would  not  advance  on  ac 
count  of  the  depth  of  the  river,  until  their  leader  said,  "  What 
a  wretch  am  I  that  I  did  not  learn  to  swim,"  and  was  going 

I  to  ford  it  with  his  shield  in  his  hand.  The  effect  was  electrical, 
and  this  laughing  army,  after  making  one  assault,  obtained 

i  offers  of  capitulation.  When  the  fate  of  the  American  army 
seemed  to  depend  upon  making  a  retreat  from  the  encamp 
ment  at  Trenton,  Washington  laughed  at  an  odd  remark  of 
old  General  Scott,  who  was  about  to  defend  the  most  import 
ant  and  dangerous  post.  Scott,  who  thought  Washington 
wras  gone,  said  to  his  men,  that  they  had  been  shooting  too 
high.  "  For  that  reason,  boys,  whenever  you  see  them  fellows 
first  begin  to  put  their  feet  on  this  bridge,  do  you  shin  'em." 
The  bridge  was  defended,  and  the  army  preserved.  There 
are  two  morals  in  this  digression.  The  first  is,  always  keep 
yourself  in  a  good  humour  by  trying  to  keep  others  so.  The 


158  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1755. 


second  is,  that  warriors  engaged  in  a  good  cause,  at  least, 
should  always  be  in  good  spirits ;  and  why  should  not  we 
enjoy  that  luxury  while  recording,  or  reflecting  on  some  of  the 
deeds,  at  least,  of  these  brave  and  merry  fellows  ?  But  to 
resume. 

The  Governor's  Campaign. — Deeply  impressed  with  his 
awful  responsibility,  he  marched  his  army  of  2500  men  to 
Oswego,  on  Lake  Ontario ;  but  the  winter  being  too  far  ad 
vanced,  and  the  provisions  scarce,  he  marched  them  back 
again  to  Albany,  and  the  succeeding  spring  he  was  superseded 
by  General  Abercrombie,  who  was  appointed  to  command 
until  the  arrival  of  Loudon.  This  was  the  beginning,  middle, 
and  end  of  Governor  Shirley's  campaign.  We  do  not  intend 
to  reflect  on  the  conduct  of  his  excellency :  prudence  may 
have  been  the  better  part  of  valour  under  existing  circum 
stances,  especially  as  the  intelligence  of  Braddock's  defeat 
had  spread  consternation  through  the  army,  occasioning  many 
desertions. 

This  teaches,  or  ought  to  teach,  an  important  lesson  to 
those  officers  who  esteem  daring  intrepidity  more,  when  alone, 
than  if  tempered  with  prudence.  Not  only  did  Braddock  lose 
his  own  army,  but  damped  the  spirit  of  enterprise,  for  a  time, 
throughout  the  colonies.  History,  both  ancient  and  modern, 
is  full  of  such  lessons.  Compare  the  cool,  calculating  prudence 
of  Fabius  Maximus  and  George  Washington,  with  the  head 
long  impetuosity  of  C.  Terentius  Varro  and  Braddock,  and 
our  position  is  sufficiently  illustrated. 

The  expedition  against  Crown  Point,  led  by  General  Wil 
liam  Johnson,  arrived  at  the  south  end  of  Lake  George  the 
latter  part  of  August,  1755,  where  he  received  intelligence 
that  the  enemy,  numbering  2000,  had  landed  at  Southbay, 
now  Whitehall,  under  the  command  of  Baron  Dieskau,  from 
whence  they  were  marching  to  fort  Edward,  to  destroy  the 
military  stores  and  provisions  of  the  British. 

On  the  morning  of  September  8th,  a  detachment  of  1200 
men,  commanded  by  Colonel  Ephraim  Williams,  was  sent 
against  him.  Regardless  of  the  advice  of  Hendrick,  the  Indian 
chief,  Williams  neglected  to  scour  the  field  by  a  flank-guard. 


1755.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  159 


Having  proceeded  about  four  miles,  he  was  surprised  by  the 
Indians  of  Dieskau's  army,  who  were  lying  in  ambush  for  him. 
A  deadly  fire  was  poured  in  upon  both  his  flanks.  After  a 
dreadful  slaughter,  during  which  General  Williams  himself, 
and  Hendrick,  the  renowned  Mohawk  chief,  were  killed,  the 
detachment  retreated.  They  came  running  into  the  camp 
like  a  flock  of  sheep,  hotly  pursued  by  the  French,  who  might 
have  carried  the  camp  if  they  had  taken  advantage  of  the 
great  confusion ;  but  making  a  pause,  the  English  recovered 
from  the  disorder  and  alarm,  and  were  soon  prepared  to 
receive  the  enemy.  Dieskau  now  made  a  desperate  attack, 
but  the  English,  who  were  posted  behind  fallen  trees,  defended 
on  each  side  by  a  woody  swamp,  gave  them  such  a  warm 
reception,  with  their  cannon  and  musketry,  that  their  ranks 
were  thrown  into  disorder.  The  Canadian  militia  and  Indians 
fled  into  the  woods,  and  the  whole  army  was  terribly  defeated. 
A  scouting  party  had,  at  the  same  time,  taken  the  enemy's 
baggage ;  and  when  the  retreating  army  came  up,  they  made 
an  attack  upon  it  from  behind  the  trees.  Panic-stricken  by 
the  late  defeat  and  this  sudden  attack,  the  soldiers  threw 
down  their  accoutrements,  and  were  off  for  the  lakes  in  the 
utmost  confusion. 

The  French  loss,  in  killed  and  wounded,  was  about  1000. 
Dieskau  himself  was  mortally  wounded  and  taken  prisoner. 
He  had  received  a  wound  in  the  leg,  which  rendering  him 
incapable  to  retreat  with  the  army,  he  was  found  by  an  Eng 
lish  soldier  seated  on  a  stump.  Intending  to  try  bribery  to 
save  his  life,  he  commenced  feeling  for  his  watch,  but  the 
soldier  mistaking  his  intention,  and  suspecting  that  he  was 
searching  for  his  pistol,  levelled  his  gun  and  shot  the  Baron 
through  the  hips.  He  was  now  carried  to  the  English  camp, 
where  every  attention  was  bestowed  upon  him.  He  was 
next  taken  to  Albany  and  New  York.  The  injury  gradually 
impaired  his  health,  and  he  died  in  consequence  of  it,  at 
Surene,  in  France.  He  was  a  man  of  talents,  honour,  and 
refinement,  and  the  loss  of  so  distinguished  an  officer  was 
severely  felt  by  the  French.  The  English  loss  was  only 
about  200. 


160  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1756. 


General  Johnson  was  wounded  early  in  the  action,  and 
General  Lyman  did  the  fighting,  for  which  Johnson,  who 
makes  no  mention  of  him,  received  a  baronetcy,  and  Parlia 
ment  voted  him  5000  pounds  sterling.  Satisfied  with  this 
achievement,  he  rested  inactive  the  remainder  of  the  season, 
and  failed  to  effect  the  object  of  his  expedition.  This  victory, 
however,  retrieved  the  honour  of  the  English  arms,  and 
restored  confidence  among  the  people.  Thus  terminated  a 
campaign,  which,  for  want  of  energy  in  council  to  devise,  and 
vigour  in  the  field  to  execute,  effected  nothing  but  a  great 
destruction  of  life,  and  the  infliction  of  all  the  accumulated 
horrors  of  savage  and  civilized  warfare  upon  a  bleeding 
community,  and  the  two  nations  remained  in  statu  quo  ante 
bellum. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Formal  Declaration  of  War  between  France  and  England — Meeting  of  Provin 
cial  Governors — Plan  of  Campaign — Quarrel  among  the  Officers — Marquis  de 
Montcalm  takes  and  destroys  Fort  Oswego— Lord  Loudonatthe  Head  of  Affairs. 

ALTHOUGH  hostilities  had  been  carried  on  for  several  years, 
no  formal  declaration  of  war  was  made  by  England  against 
France,  until  June  9,  1756.  France  declared  war  against 
England  soon  after. 

The  plan  for  the  campaign  of  1756  was  nearly  the  same 
as  that  for  1755 ;  and  the  result  was  similar.  The  provincial 
governors  met  at  New  York,  and  it  was  determined  that  an 
army  of  10,000  men  should  be  raised,  and  marched  against 
Crown  Point;  6000  for  Niagara;  and  3000  for  fort  Du 
Quesne.  While  the  officers  were  quarrelling  among  them 
selves  about  a  resolution,  placing  the  British  officers  over  the 
provincials  of  the  same  rank ;  and  about  the  expediency  of 
attacking  fort  Niagara,  or  Du  Quesne,  the  Marquis  de  Mont- 
calm,  the  able  and  enterprising  successor  of  Dieskau,  decided 
the  matter  for  them,  by  showing  that  they  were  to  do  neither. 
This  officer,  with  an  army  of  about  8000  regulars,  Canadians 


1756-7.]  FRENCH   AND   INDIAN   WAR.  161 

and  Indians,  invested  the  fort  at  Oswego,  on  the  south  side  of 
Lake  Ontario.  His  artillery  played  so  successfully  upon  the 
fort,  that  in  a  few  days  it  was  taken  and  destroyed.  This 
was  one  of  the  most  important  English  posts  held  in  America. 
The  capture  of  it  opened  to  the  enemy  both  lake  Erie  and 
lake  Ontario,  together  with  the  country  of  the  Five  Nations. 
1600  men  were  taken  prisoners ;  and  120  pieces  of  cannon, 
fourteen  mortars,  several  sloops  of  war,  and  200  boats,  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 

The  Earl  of  Loudon,  now  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  America, 
arrived  at  Albany  and  took  his  station.  Receiving  intelligence 
of  the  destruction  of  the  fort  at  Oswego,  he  recalled  General 
Winslow  of  Massachusetts,  who  was  on  his  march  towards 
Crown  Point,  and  ordered  him  to  fortify  his  own  camp.  All 
offensive  operations  being  relinquished,  the  garrisons  were 
filled  with  British  troops,  and  nearly  all  the  provincial  forces 
were  sent  home.  Here  ends  the  second  lesson  to  the  British 
Parliament.  The  expedition  against  Niagara  was  not  com 
menced,  and  that  against  Du  Quesne  almost  forgotten. 
Whether  Lord  Loudon  was  governed  in  his  decisions,  or 
rather  indecisions,  by  dreams  and  omens,  by  whim  and  ca 
price;  or  by  taking  the  advice  of  every  body,  in  regular 
order ;  he  was  certainly  not  the  man  to  cope  with  Montcalm. 


; 


CHAPTER  V. 

Council  at  Boston— Efforts  of  the  British  Parliament— Expedition  against  Louis- 
burg— Siege  of  Fort  William  Henry— Horrible  Massacre  by  the  Savages— Burning 
of  the  Fort. 

AT  the  commencement  of  1757  a  council  was  held  at  Boston, 
composed  of  Lord  Loudon  and  the  governors  of  the  New 
England  provinces  and  of  Nova  Scotia.  Here  his  lordship 
proposed  that  New  England  should  raise  4000  men,  and  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  shoirid  raise  a  proportionate  number. 
In  the  meantime,  the  British  Parliament  had  made  prepara 
tion  to  prosecute  the  war.  In  July,  1757,  about  6000  troops 
arrived  at  Halifax,  on  their  way  to  effect  the  reduction  of 

21  c* 


162  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1757. 


Louisburg,  (at  least,  they  thought  so,)  on  the  island  of  Cape 
Breton.  The  colonists  had  raised  troops  destined  for  the  re 
duction  of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point ;  but  they  now 
learned,  to  their  astonishment  and  regret,  that  their  Protean 
commander-in-chief  had  changed  his  mind,  and  that  now,  the 
reduction  of  Louisburg  was  the  one  grand  object  in  contem 
plation.  The  colonists  were  obliged  to  obey,  and  Loudon 
proceeded  to  join  the  British  armament  at  Halifax. 

His  lordship  appears  to  have  been  one  of  those  unlucky 
fellows  who  are  always  just  in  time  to  be  too  late.  The 
French  received  very  large  reinforcements,  both  of  land  and 
naval  forces,  from  France,  before  Loudon  was  ready  to  sail, 
and  deeming  it  rather  a  dangerous  experiment  to  proceed, 
he  abandoned  the  expedition  and  returned  to  New  York. 

During  the  absence  of  the  principal  part  of  the  British 
army,  the  Marquis  de  Montcalm  conceived  the  design  of 
taking  the  forts  on  lake  George.  He  advanced  with  an 
army  of  about  9000  men,  and  laid  siege  to  fort  William 
Henry,  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  lake.  The  gar 
rison  consisted  of  3000  men,  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Monro,  who  made  a  most  gallant  resistance  for  six  days, 
keeping  the  enemy  at  bay,  while  he  sent  to  General  Webb, 
apprising  him  of  his  situation,  and  asking  his  aid.  Webb 
was  at  fort  Edward,  only  four  miles  distant,  with  an 
army  of  4000  men.  Whether  the  General  thought  of  the 
lead  colic,  or  had  a  peculiar  aversion  to  villanous  salt 
petre,  (for  men  do  sometimes  get  an  unaccountable  and  pe 
culiar  aversion  to  being  shot,)  or  whether  he  was  governed 
in  his  conduct  by  motives  of  a  prudential  character,  is  worthy 
our  consideration.  It  is  certain,  his  aid  wras  withheld  with 
out  any  apparent  excuse  for  his  heartless  indifference  to  the 
perilous  situation  of  his  brethren  in  arms,  who  were  obliged 
to  surrender.  They  claimed  and  obtained  at  least  the  pro 
mise  of  an  honourable  capitulation,  and  a  pledge  of  protec 
tion  from  Montcalm,  against  the  Indians  under  his  command. 
But  no  sooner  had  they  marched  out  of  the  fort  and  deposited 
their  arms,  than  the  Indians  were  permitted  to  enter  their 
lines,  to  commence  the  work  of  plunder,  cruelty  and.  death. 


1757.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  163 


The  defenceless  soldiers  were  attacked  with  fiendish  fury  by 
the  savages,  who,  while  butchering  and  scalping  their  victims, 
seemed  to  delight  in  their  yells  and  groans,  and  frantic  shrieks 
of  anguish  and  despair.  This  horrid  scene  continued  until 
1500  were  killed  or  carried  captives  into  the  wilderness. 
This  has  fixed  a  dark  spot  upon  the  character  of  Montcalm, 
which  will  always  haunt  the  history  of  his  achievements  like 
some  hideous  monster,  grinning  awfully  over  a  victory  of  the 
heart  of  the  valiant.  Attempts  have  been  made  to  wipe 
away  the  curse,  but  every  age  and  country,  like  an  immense 
jury,  will  try  and  condemn  his  conduct  again.  It  has  been 
said  that  he  could  not.  restrain  the  ferocity  of  the  savages ; 
but  could  he  not  make  the  attempt  ?  Could  not  7000  men 
restrain  2000  ?  Could  not  Montcalm  provide  the  stipulated 
guard  which  Monro  begged  and  implored  him  in  vain  to  do, 
to  save  his  brave  companions  ?  With  these  facts  before  us, 
we  will  not,  we  cannot  listen  to  the  sophistical  arguments  of 
the  defenders  of  guilt. 

Now  draw  the  curtain  aside  and  look  for  yourself  at  a  scene 
that  makes  humanity  bleed  at  every  pore.  It  is  the  fort  and 
its  vicinity  the  day  after  the  massacre.  The  fort  is  a  heap 
of  smoking  ruins  ;  the  buildings  are  still  burning ;  here  are 
arms,  hands,  and  many  other  fragments  of  the  human  body 
broiling  in  the  fire  !  there  are  heaps  of  dead  bodies  all  around 
you  with  the  scalps  torn  off.  But  now  think  of  the  deep 
horrors  and  voiceless  woe  of  those  who  are  tortured  in  cap 
tivity  !  Imagine  among  them  a  father,  a  brother,  or  a  friend. 
Imagine  yourself  a  victim  of  torture,  and  then  I  ask  you  what 
think  you  of  Montcalm  ?  What  think  you  of  Webb  ?  Would 
you  be  leaning  to  the  side  of  mercy  by  shielding  them  from 
indignation  and  scorn  ?  Or  would  you  rather  defend  the 
officers  than  the  soldiers  ?  The  common  soldier  has  rights 
as  well  as  his  superiors.  He  has  a  heart  to  feel,  a  hand  to 
strike,  and  an  arm  to  save.  His  influence,  his  power,  in  the 
aggregate,  must  be  respected,  and  we  will  defend  his  rights 
against  his  superiors,  whether  friend  or  foe. 

While  we  are  determined  to  guard  with  the  most  scrupu 
lous  care  against  wronging  the  memory  of  any  man,  we  shall 


t64  TILE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1757. 


freely  express  our  uncompromising  detestation  against  the 
heartless  deeds  of  such  fiends  incarnate,  instead  of  extenuat 
ing  their  guilt,  as  some  historians  have  done. 

History  is  the  monitor  of  the  future,  teaching  by  the  expe 
rience  of  the  past  faithfully  delineated ;  but  if  the  inexcusable 
wholesale  murders  and  unjustifiable  barbarities,  or  even  the 
cowardice  or  cold  indifference  of  men  to  aid  those  they  are 
bound  by  sacred  duty,  or  solemn  contract,  to  protect,  are  to 
be  blotted  from  its  pages,  it  fails  in  its  legitimate  object. 
The  wretch  who  could  look  calmly  on  such  a  scene  without 
lifting  a  hand  to  save.,  should  be  held  in  greater  abhorrence 
than  the  midnight  assassin.  We  are  sometimes  moved  to 
tears  at  the  recital  of  a  single  murder,  but  we  too  often  read 
an  account  of  the  destruction  of  thousands,  as  a  pleasing  tale. 
We  sympathize  with  the  sufferings  of  individuals,  but  lose 
our  better  feelings  in  a  multitude  of  sufferers.  Through  this 
strange  inconsistency  of  our  nature,  the  guilty  often  escape, 
or  get  only  one  blow  when  their  guilt  calls  for  ten. 

After  the  destruction  of  fort  William  Henry,  the  French 
had  possession  of  lakes  George  and  Champlain,  and  an  unin 
terrupted  communication  between  Canada  and  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi.  This  gave  them  an  ascendancy  over  the 
Indians,  and  an  undisturbed  control  over  the  country  west  of 
the  Alleghany  mountains,  while  the  colonists  were  exposed, 
along  the  whole  northern  and  western  frontier,  to  the  out 
rages  of  the  various  tribes  of  Indians. 

"  Through  harvest  fields  the  bloody  myriads  tread, 

Sack  the  lone  village,  strew  the  streets  with  dead ; 

The  flames  in  spiry  volumes  round  them  rise, 

And  shrieks  and  shouts  redoubling  rend  the  skies, 

Fair  babes  and  matrons  in  their  domes  expire, 

Or,  bursting  frantic  through  the  folding  fire, 

They  scream,  fly,  fall ;  promiscuous  rave  along 

The  yelling  victors  and  the  driven  throng ; 

The  streams  run  purple ;  all  the  peopled  shore 

Is  wrapp'd  in  flames  and  trod  with  steps  of  gore ; — 

Till  colours,  gathering  from  the  shorelands  far, 

Stretch  their  new  standards  and  oppose  the  war, 

With  muskets  match  the  many-shafted  bow, 

With  loud  artillery  stun  th'  astonish'd  foe. 


1758.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR. 


When,  like  a  broken  wave,  the  barbarous  train 
Lead  back  the  flight  and  scatter  from  the  plain, 
Slay  their  weak  captives,  drop  their  shafts  in  haste, 
Forget  their  spoils  and  scour  the  trackless  waste ; 
From  wood  to  wood  in  wild  confusion  hurl'd, 
They  hurry  o'er  the  hills  far  through  the  savage  world.' 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Change  of  the  British  Ministry— Pitt  at  the  Head  of  the  new  Council— His  Pop 
ularity— Its  Effect— Plan  of  Campaign— Admiral  Boscawen  sails  from  Halifax, 
under  B rigadier- General  Amherst— Siege  of  Louisburg— Plan  against  Ticonderoga 
and  Crown  Point  under  General  Abercrombie— Lake  George— Unsuccessful 
Attack  on  Ticonderoga — Abercrombie  retreats — Dissatisfaction  of  the  Provincials 
— Bradstreet  takes  Frontignac — General  Forbes  takes  Fort  Du  Quesne. 

On  the  Termination  of  the  last  Campaign. 

ON  the  infliction  of  this  last,  unkindest  kick  of  all,  the 
English  lion  started  up  with  a  roar.  The  English  on  both 
sides  of  the  ocean  were  alarmed,  and  justly  too,  at  their 
situation,  and  indignant  at  the  loss  of  their  brethren.  The 
king  changed  his  ministry,  and  placed  the  celebrated  William 
Pitt  at  the  head  of  the  new  councils. 

As  a  multitude  of  merry  souls  dance  and  skip  under  the 
magic  influence  of  a  violin,  so  a  great  statesman  can  often 
stir  up  and  move  a  whole  nation.  Pitt  speaks,  and  the  thun 
der  of  his  eloquence  arouses  to  arms  ;  the  huge  leviathans  of 
war  overshadow  the  sea.  Armies  move  with  the  vigour  of 
magic ;  transcendant  talent  is  displayed  in  the  field,  and  vic 
tory  shouts  exultingly  over  the  mighty  results.  The  ill- 
contrived  and  badly  executed  campaigns  were  now  at  an 
end ;  the  tide  of  fortune,  which  had  flowed  to  the  French, 
loaded  with  riches,  commenced  its  ebb  with  surprising  ra 
pidity  the  spirits  of  the  colonists  were  revived ;  the  requi 
sitions  for  raising  a  very  large  number  of  troops  were 
promptly  and  cheerfully  complied  with ;  and  all  was  bustle 
and  activity,  inspired  by  the  soul  of  Pitt.  We  pause  here 
with  astonishment,  to  contemplate  the  majesty  of  mind. 
That  one  man  should  be  able  to  effect  such  changes  and  in- 


166  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1758. 


fuse  such  light  into  the  dark  and  gloomy  minds  and  hearts  of 
men  far  beyond  the  sea ;  to  convey  to  others  a  part  of  his 
own  immortal  energies ;  to  speak  with  his  own  deeply-moved 
soul  so  strongly,  that  nations  shake  and  monarchs  tremble  in 
their  capitols,  seems  almost  miraculous. 

Equally  popular  in  both  hemispheres,  his  letters  to  the 
colonial  governors,  assuring  them  of  a  large  force  from  Eng 
land,  and  calling  on  them  for  aid,  probably  far  exceeded  his 
most  sanguine  expectations.  In  May,  Massachusetts  had 
7000  troops,  Connecticut  5000,  and  Hampshire  3000.  Mas 
sachusetts  took  the  lead.  The  people  of  Boston  supported 
taxes  which  took  away  two-thirds  of  the  income  on  real 
estate :  one-half  of  the  effective  men  in  the  province  were  on 
some  military  duty ;  and  the  transports  constructed  to  carry 
the  troops  to  Halifax  were  ready  to  sail,  in  fourteen  days 
from  the  time  of  the  undertaking.  The  British  fleets  block 
aded  or  captured  the  French  armaments,  cutting  off  their 
reinforcements,  while  Admiral  Boscawen  was  despatched  to 
Halifax  with  a  formidable  squadron  of  ships,  and  an  army  of 
about  12,000  men.  Lord  Loudon  was  superseded  by  General 
Abercrombie,  who  was  now  placed  at  the  head  of  an  army 
of  50,000  men,  the  largest  army  that  ever,  in  its  march, 
shook  the  earth  in  America. 

It  was  resolved  that  three  points  of  attack  should  be  the 
objects  of  this  campaign.  The  first  expedition  was  to  be 
directed  against  Louisburg,  the  capitol  of  Cape  Breton ;  the 
second  against  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point ;  and  the  third 
against  fort  Du  Quesne. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  Admiral  Boscawen  sailed  from  Hali 
fax  writh  a  fleet  of  twenty  ships  of  the  line  and  eighteen 
frigates,  and  14,000  men,  under  the  command  of  Brigadier- 
General  Amherst,  and  arrived  before  Louisburg  on  the  2d  of 
June.  The  Chevalier  de  Drucourt,  a  man  of  many  parts, 
commanded  the  garrison,  composed  of  2500  regulars  and  600 
militia.  The  French  having  secured  the  harbour  with  ships, 
some  of  which  were  sunk  across  the  mouth  of  the  basin,  the 
English  were  obliged  to  land  at  some  distance  from  the  town. 
As  the  surf  was  so  great  that  no  boat  could  live  near  shore, 


1758.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  167 

a  landing  could  not  be  effected  tor  six  days.  On  the  8th, 
while  the  swell  was  still  very  great,  they  approached  the 
shore  under  the  fire  of  five  frigates.  The  enemy  on  shore 
reserved  their  fire  until  the  English  were  near  them,  when 
their  musketry  arid  cannon  were  opened  upon  them  with 
great  spirit.  Some  of  their  boats  were  upset,  others  dashed 
into  fragments  without  much  regard  for  the  contents ;  but 
General  James  Wolfe,  afterwards  the  hero  of  the  heights  of 
Abraham,  was  there,  and  he  pushed  forward  to  the  shore. 
Amherst  was  the  shield  and  Wolfe  the  sword — the  one  cau 
tious,  the  other  young  and  enthusiastic.  The  artillery  and 
stores  were  dragged  on  shore  June  8th,  and  General  Wolfe, 
next  in  command  to  General  Amherst,  was  detached  with 
2000  men  to  take  a  post  at  Lighthouse  Point,  an  eminence 
which  in  a  measure  commands  the  ships  in  the  harbour  and 
the  fortifications  in  the  town,  and  from  which  the  enemy 
might  be  greatly  annoyed.  The  enemy  had  five  ships  of  the 
|  line  and  a  few  frigates  in  the  harbour,  and  as  the  English 
troops  approached,  the  guns  on  these  vessels  were  brought  to 
bear  upon  them.  On  the  approach  of  Wolfe  towards  Light 
house  Point,  the  French  who  occupied  that  post 

<;  retreated,  aa  the  phrase  is,  when 


Men  run  away  rather  than  go  through 
Destruction's  jaws," 

We  presume,  however,  that  these  men 

'•'•  iK-ver  ran  away,  except  when  running 

Was  nothing1  but  a  valorous  kind  of  cunning." 

This  we  leave  with  their  own  conscience,  which  is  nothing 
but  our  own  opinion  of  our  own  actions,  which  shows  the 
importance  of  good  instructions,  when  the  mental  twig  is  bent. 

This  fighting  is  a  bloody  business,  at  best,  and  we  would 
rather  continue  to  moralize,  than  besiege  cities  and  towns  in 
person.  Even  when  the  imagination  leads  us  to  the  fortifica 
tions  of  the  enemy,  the  unmusical  roar  of  artillery  and  mus 
ketry  ;  the  fire  and  smoke  on  the  ramparts  and  from  the  em 
brasures,  and  the  shrieks  and  groans  °f  Olir  wounded  and 


168  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1758. 


dying  fellow-soldiers,  but  ill  comport  with  our  notions  of  a 
long  life  of  domestic  joys  and  comforts. 

But,  I  say,  Wolfe  took  the  post,  and  erected  several  strong 
batteries,  while  approaches  were  made  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  town,  and  the  siege  was  commenced  in  earnest. 

A  very  heavy  fire  is  opened  and  kept  up  against  the  town 
and  the  ships  in  the  harbour.  With  the  flashing  fire  comes 
the  report  of  artillery,  like  peals  of  thunder.  The  earth 
trembles,  and  some  of  the  men  tremble :  some  with  anxiety, 
some  with  rage,  and  some  with  fear.  The  bombs,  like  me 
teors,  are  vaulting  through  the  sky,  then  falling  to  the  earth, 
or  on  the  ships,  with  terrible  explosion,  hurl  their  fragments 
through  the  ranks  of  the  enemy  with  appalling  effect ;  then 
communicating  their  fire  to  a  vessel,  the  flames  spread  with 
fearful  rapidity,  and  the  prodigious  conflagration  drives  the 
soldiers  away  like  rats  escaping  from  a  falling  temple.  The 
fire  reaches  the  magazine  !  A  blaze  as  from  a  volcano  bursts 
forth,  and  then  the  shock  of  the  dreadful  explosion  terrifies 
the  besiegers  and  the  besieged.  Masts  and  yards  are  hurled 
through  the  sky,  and  after  a  long  interval  fall  in  fragments 
over  the  earth  and  sea.  The  fire  is  communicated,  and  two 
other  ships  share  the  same  fate.  The  siege  progresses ;  some 
parts  of  the  town  are  already  consumed,  and  some  others 
battered  down.  The  English  Admiral  sent  600  men  under 
two  young  captains,  Laforey  and  Balfour,  into  the  harbour, 
to  destroy  or  bring  off  the  remaining  ships.  In  the  night, 
between  the  25th  and  26th,  they  passed  through  a  galling 
fire  of  cannon  and  musketry  of  the  enemy,  and  took  the  re 
maining  ships.  One  being  aground,  was  burnt,  and  the 
other  was  triumphantly  towed  out  of  the  basin.  This  put 
the  English  in  full  possession  of  the  harbour ;  and  several 
breaches  having  been  made  in  the  enemy's  works,  the  governor, 
deeming  the  place  no  longer  tenable,  offered  to  capitulate. 

The  garrison  were  required  to  surrender  as  prisoners  of 
war,  and  although  these  humiliating  terms  were  at  first  re 
jected,  they  were  afterwards,  from  necessity,  acceded  to. 
The  spoils  of  victory  were  221  pieces  of  cannon,  and  eighteen 
mortars,  with  large  quantities  of  ammunition.  The  English 


1758.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  169 

now  took  possession  of  Cape  Breton,  and  also  the  Island 
Royal,  St.  John's,  and  their  dependencies.  The  inhabitants 
of  Cape  Breton  were  taken  to  France  in  English  ships  ;  but 
the  military  men,  consisting  of  the  garrison,  sea-officers, 
sailors,  and  marines,  amounting  to  about  6000,  were  taken 
prisoners  of  war  to  England.  This  \vas  the  severest  blow 
that  France  received  since  the  commencement  of  the  war, 
as  it  placed  the  whole  coast,  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Nova 
Scotia,  in  the  possession  of  the  English,  and  in  a  great  mea 
sure  cut  off  the  French  communication  with  Canada. 

The  army  destined  to  execute  the  plan  against  Ticonderoga 
and  Crown  Point,  commanded  by  General  Abercrombie, 
consisting  of  upwards  of  15,000  men,  with  a  formidable  train 
of  artillery,  was  to  rendezvous  at  Albany.  The  reduction  of 
these  points  was  a  favourite  object  of  the  northern  colonies, 
exposed  to  French  and  Indian  incursions ;  and  the  most  her 
culean  exertions  were  made  to  insure  its  success.  About 
two-thirds  of  this  army  were  colonists.  In  the  beginning  of 
July  they  arrived  at  Lake  George,  and  on  the  5th  the  Gen 
eral  was  ready  to  embark  his  troops  on  board  of  900  batteaux 
and  125  whale-boats,  besides  a  number  of  rafts,  on  which 
cannon  were  mounted,  to  cover  the  landing  of  the  troops. 

And  now,  reader,  if  you  have  no  imagination  w7e  pity  you, 
for  then  all  such  recitals  will  have  no  more  effect  on  you  than 
if  you  were  told  that  15,000  blackbirds  crossed  the  lake,  all 
in  one  flock.  But,  no  doubt,  you  have  a  most  vivid  imagina 
tion,  by  which  you  now  plainly  see  the  remarkable  clear 
water  of  this  truly  romantic  lake ;  the  bold  and  jutting  shore ; 
and  the  beautiful,  small  green  islands,  full  of  wild  flowers  to 
the  edge  of  the  water,  looking,  for  all  the  world,  like  little 
hills  swimming  across  the  lake  with  a  load  of  flowers  on  their 
backs.  The  deer  stand  high  up  on  the  projecting  rock,  and 
look  down  with  amazement  on  the  extended  crowd,  then 
bound  away  into  the  thick  woods.  The  brave  eagle,  the 
bird  of  Washington,  not  quite  ready  to  perch  on  the  Ameri 
can  standards,  soars  majestically  in  the  blue  vault  of  heaven; 
then  rushing  down,  bathes  his  glossy  wings  in  the  trembling 
waters  of  the  lake.  A  late  and  eminent  writer,  in  speaking 

22  P 


170  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1758. 


of  this  lake,  says  that  "  light  and  shade  are  here  not  only  far 
more  diversified,  but  are  much  more  obvious,  intense,  and 
flowing,  than  in  smooth,  open  countries.  Every  thing,  whether 
on  the  land  or  water,  was  here  affected  by  the  changes  of  the 
day;  and  the  eye,  without  forecast,  found  itself,  however 
disposed  on  ordinary  occasions  to  inattention,  instinctively 
engaged,  and  fastened  with  emotions  approximating  to  rap 
ture.  The  shadows  of  the  mountains,  particularly  on  the 
west,  floating  slowly  over  the  bosom  of  the  lake,  and  then 
softly  ascending  that  of  the  mountains  on  the  east,  presented 
to  us,  in  a  wide  expanse,  the  uncommon  and  most  pleasing 
image  of  one  vast  range  of  mountains,  slowly  moving  up  the 
ascent  of  another. 

"  While  we  were  returning  from  Ticonderoga,  we  were 
presented  with  a  prospect  superior  to  any  which  I  ever 
beheld.  An  opening  lay  before  us,  between  the  mountains 
on  the  west  and  those  on  the  east,  gilded  by  the  departing 
sunbeams.  The  lake,  alternately  glassy  and  gently  rippled, 
of  a  light  and  exquisite  sapphire,  gay  and  brilliant  with  the 
tremulous  lustre,  already  mentioned,  floating  upon  its  surface, 
stretched  in  prospect  to  a  vast  distance,  through  a  great 
variety  of  larger  and  smaller  apertures.  In  the  chasm, 
formed  by  the  mountains,  lay  a  multitude  of  islands,  differing 
in  size,  shape,  and  umbrage,  and  clothed  in  deeply  shaded 
green.  Beyond  them,  and  often  partly  hidden  behind  the 
tall  and  variously  figured  trees,  with  which  they  were  tufted, 
rose,  in  the  west  and  south-west,  a  long  range  of  distant 
mountains,  tinged  with  a  deep  misty  azure,  and  crowned  with 
an  immense  succession  of  lofty  pines.  Above  the  mountains, 
and  above  each  other,  were  extended,  in  great  numbers,  long, 
streaming  clouds,  of  the  happiest  forms,  and  painted  with  red 
and  orange  light,  in  all  their  diversities  of  tincture." 

Thus,  while  the  army  was  embarking,  we  had  time  to  make 
a  little  excursion  along  the  lake.  Every  man  knows  that  it 
takes  some  time  before  the  last  of  15,000  soldiers  could  get 
his  foot  into  a  boat.  But  now  they  go,  and  early  next  morn 
ing  they  landed  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  and  commenced 
their  march  in  four  columns ;  the  British  in  the  centre,  and 


1758.}  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR,  171 

the  provincials  on  the  flank.  The  advanced  guard  of  the 
French,  posted  on  the  lake  in  a  logged  camp,  quickly  destroyed 
all  they  could  and  made  a  hasty  retreat;  and  when  the 
English  arrived  the  nest  wras  warm,  but  the  birds  had  all 
flown.  In  marching  through  the  woods,  the  guides  being 
unskilful,  the  columns  were  thrown  into  confusion  and  en 
tangled  with  each  other,  when  the  right  centre  column  fell  in 
with  some  of  the  enemy's  advanced  guards,  who  had  lost 
themselves  in  the  woods  on  their  precipitate  retreat  from  the 
lake.  They  made  a  furious  attack  upon  each  other,  in  which 
the  French  were  defeated  with  a  loss  of  about  300  killed  and 
wounded,  and  148  taken  prisoners,  On  the  first  fire  Lord 
George  Howe  was  killed,  an  officer  who  was  esteemed  above 
all  the  other  British  officers,  and  to  his  loss  the  provincials 
attributed  their  subsequent  defeat. 

The  English  army  now  encamped  at  the  Saw-Mills,  only  two 
miles  from  Ticonderoga.  In  advance  of  the  fort,  garrisoned 
with  the  usual  number  of  men,  the  enemy  had  about  5000 
men  posted  behind  a  strong  breastwork,  eight  or  nine  feet 
high ;  and  in  front  of  this  a  number  of  felled  trees,  with  their 
sharpened  branches  projecting  outward,  gave  great  additional 
strength  to  the  works. 

General  Abercrombie  sent  forward  an  engineer  to  recon 
noitre  the  ground;  but  whether  he  examined  the  enemy's 
works  with  great  care  or  great  caution,  (mark  the  difference,) 
or  whether  he  kept  at  a  very  respectable  distance  from  the 
enemy,  not  wishing  to  intrude ;  or  taking  it  for  granted  that 
so  large  an  army  would  certainly  take  the  fort,  and  thus 
sustain  his  report  and  his  reputation,  we  will  not  undertake 
to  decide.  He  made  a  favourable  report,  howrever,  stating 
that  the  works  were  imperfect  and  consequently  practicable. 
Upon  this  the  General  resolved  upon  a  storm,  and  accordingly 
made  preparations  for  an  assault.  The  storm  soon  blew  the 
wrong  way.  The  troops  were  ordered  to  rush  forward,  re 
serving  their  own  fire  till  they  had  passed  a  breastwork ;  but 
owing  to  the  felled  trees,  and  the  height  of  the  works,  this 
was  absolutely  impracticable,  especially  without  bringing  up 
the  artillery.  Besides,  the  English  attempting  to  attack  but 


172  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1758. 


a  small  portion  of  the  extended  French  lines,  and  that  upon 
the  strongest  and  most  inaccessible,  the  enemy  poured  their 
whole  fire  upon  that  spot ;  while  the  English  gained  no  ad 
vantage  by  numbers.  After  keeping  these  brave  fellows  for 
four  hours  in  a  situation  where  they  were  exposed  to  an  in 
cessant  and  most  galling  fire,  without  the  least  prospect  of 
accomplishing  any  thing  at  that  point,  without  bringing 
forward  his  artillery  or  changing  his  plan,  the  General  not 
only  ordered  a  retreat,  but  ran  away  with  his  indignant  army 
from  a  comparatively  small  force,  as  if  afraid  of  him  who 
proverbially  takes  the  hindmost,  and  re-crossed  Lake  George 
with  a  loss  of  2000  men,  in  killed  and  wounded.  This  gained 
the  General  the  unenviable  name  of  Mrs.  Nabbycrombie  among 
the  provincials. 

It  might  here  be  remarked,  that  Major  Rogers,  an  able  and 
experienced  officer  in  Indian  warfare,  and  an  American  by 
birth,  offered  to  scour  the  woods  and  examine  the  condition 
of  the  enemy,  but,  of  course,  this  Avas  not  granted  by  a  British 
officer,  and  like  his  obdurate  predecessors  who  took  no  advice, 
he  met  with  defeat.  Braddock  had  his  Washington,  WiHiams 
had  his  Hendrick,  and  Abercrombie  his  Rogers.  This  period 
of  our  country's  history  would  be  much  more  interesting  to 
Americans,  had  not  the  British  officers  always  kept  the  merits 
of  Americans  a  profound  secret,  or  appropriated  their  exploit?, 
if  possible,  to  themselves. 

This  disastrous  result  of  so  great  an  expedition  was  felt 
by  the  British  and  Americans  with  peculiar  severity,  after 
the  high  expectations  which  they  had  naturally  entertained 
under  such  promising  circumstances. 

While  speaking  of  Pitt's  promotion,  we  said  that  the  un 
fortunate  campaigns  were  at  an  end ;  and  as  this  might  be 
considered  an  exception,  it  may  be  remarked  that  this  was 
only  a  part  of  the  campaign. 

After  Abercrombie  had  abandoned  the  project  of  captur 
ing  Ticonderoga,  Colonel  Bradstreet  proposed  to  finish  the 
campaign  with  an  expedition  against  Frontignac,  a  fort  on 
the  north  side  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  just  where  it  issues  from 
Lake  Ontario.  This  wish  was  granted,  and  Bradstreet  was 


1758.]  FRENCH    AND   INDIAN    WAR.  173 

detached  with  3000  men,  eight  pieces  of  cannon,  and  three 
mortars. 

On  the  25th  of  August,  the  Colonel  landed  within  one  mile 
of  the  fort.  Not  anticipating  an  attack  at  this  point,  the 
garrison  consisted  of  only  110  men  with  a  few  Indians.  The 
mortars  were  placed  so  near  the  fort,  that  every  shell  pro 
duced  disastrous  effects  to  the  enemy,  and  in  two  days  the 
fort  was  surrendered.  The  booty  consisted  of  nine  armed 
vessels,  sixty  cannon,  sixteen  mortars,  and  an  immense  quan 
tity  of  ammunition,  with  a  great  number  of  et  ceteras.  This 
place  had  not  only  been  the  general  repository  for  the  west 
ern  and  southern  posts,  but  the  key  to  the  communication 
between  Canada  and  Louisiana.  After  destroying  the  fort, 
Bradstreet  returned  to  the  army  from  which  he  was  detached. 

The  third  point  of  attack  in  this  campaign  \vas  the  bul 
wark  of  the  French  dominion  over  the  western  regions,  fort 
Du  Quesne. 

This  enterprise  was  entrusted  to  General  Forbes,  who  left 
|  Philadelphia  in  July,  but  did  not  arrive  at  Du  Quesne  till  late 
in  November.  The  army  of  Forbes  amounted  to  8000  men. 
The  French  garrison,  deserted  by  the  Indians,  and  too  weak 
for  effectual  resistance,  had  escaped  down  the  Ohio  the  even 
ing  before  the  arrival  of  the  English,  who  immediately  took 
possession  of  the  fort,  and  changed  its  name  to  fort  Pitt.  The 
Indians,  as  usual,  joined  the  stronger  party,  and  all  the  tribes 
between  the  Ohio  and  the  lakes  concluded  a  peace  with  the 
victors,  relieving  the  frontier  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania, 
Maryland  and  Virginia  from  the  murderous  incursions  of 
savages  armed  with  tomahawk,  with  scalping-knife  and  with 
fire. 

We  find  the  following  in  tlve  Military  and  Naval  Magazine 
for  1835 : 

Pittsburg,  the  metropolis  of  domestic  manufactures,  al 
though  covered  with  clouds  of  smoke,  from  the  operation  of 
her  thousand  engines,  is  famed  in  the  annals  of  history.  If 
we  resort  to  its  pages,  we  find  that  here  were  erected  forts 
Du  Quesne,  Pitt  and  Lafayette ;  the  first  by  the  French,  and 
named  after  their  illustrious  admiral,  Du  Quesne;  the  second 

p* 


174  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1758. 

by  the  British,  called  after  the  eloquent  Pitt ;  and  the  latter 
built  by  the  Americans,  in  honour  of  the  friend  and  com 
panion  of  Washington.  In  surveying  the  place  where  these 
fortifications  once  stood  with  their  banners  hoisted  in  triumph, 
we  now  see  scarcely  a  trace  to  point  the  old  soldier  to  the 
identical  spot,  and  cannot  help  recalling  to  memory  the 
bloody  history  of  those  perilous  times,  when  the  war-whoop 
and  "  qui  vive"  (who  goes  there)  were  the  forerunners  of 
almost  certain  destruction.  Then,  casting  a  glimpse  at  the 
busy  multitude  who  are  now  engaged  at  their  vocations,  the 
most  of  whom,  if  not  all,  were  unborn  at  the  period  of  these 

I  trying  hours,  an  involuntary  emotion  forces  its  way,  and  car 
ries  the  mind  to  pierce  the  veil  of  futurity.  In  a  century 
more,  probably,  the  very  ground  will  have  assumed,  in  the 
hands  of  man,  a  different  shape  ;  and  in  vain  will  the  geogra 
pher  endeavour  to  compare  the  plot  with  its  former  designa- 

|  tion,  or  to  find  the  site  of  the  old  forts.  The  visiter,  as  he 
passes  through  on  his  going  down  the  Ohio,  will  inquire  for 
the  remains  of  Du  Quesne,  when  not  a  stone  can  be  found  to 
present  to  his  mind  the  reality  of  the  spot  upon  which  the 
French  garrison  was  erected.  At  present  there  is  remaining 
a  little  mound,  near  the  Alleghany  river,  which  is  acknow 
ledged  by  some  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  to  be  a  part  of  the 
works ;  it  stands  as  a  monument  of  the  first  attempts  at 
civilization,  when 

Up  the  wild  streams,  that  bound  the  hero's  view, 
Great  Gallia's  sons  their  western  course  pursue. 

But  in  the  lapse  of  a  few  years  even  this  last  remembrance 
will  have  vanished  away,  and  the  site  be  entirely  unobserva- 
ble.  Here  once  the  brave  subaltern,  from  whom  the  laurels 
were  ungratefully  snatched,  drilled  his  little  company  to  the 
"  pas  accelere."  Here  the  "  portez  arme,"  "  garde  a  vous," 
and  "  en  avant,"  were  heard  amidst  the  yells  and  songs  of 
the  tawny  sons  of  the  forest.  Here  the  sanguinary  battle 
where 

" hapless  Braddock  finds  his  destined  fall," 

was  conceived,  matured,  and  undertaken.  Here  the  victors 
returned,  and  entered  the  fort  to  the  sound  of  the  solitary 


1758.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  175 

drum.  But,  with  the  remains  of  the  castle,  they  have  like 
wise  disappeared,  and  probably  there  is  not  one  living  to 
tell  the  true  story  of  so  eventful  a  period.  If  the  old  com 
mander  of  Du  Quesne  were  now  permitted  to  see  the  spot 
upon  which  stood  the  battlements  of  his  former  grandeur, 
what  would  be  his  astonishment !  Instead  of  beholding  the 
little  fort,  at  the  point  or  junction  of  the  rivers,  a  portion  of  a 
city,  opulent,  and  celebrated  for  her  industry  and  manufac 
turing  establishments,  would  present  itself  to  his  view. 

So  transient  are  the  works  of  men,  that  threescore  years 
and  ten  have  sufficed  to  obliterate  these  national  monuments 
of  war ;  they  are  no  more ;  they  have  fallen  by  the  hands  of 
time,  and  been  demolished  by  the  proprietors  of  the  ground. 
The  Frenchman,  as  he  arrives  from  the  land  of  his  forefathers, 
where  his  infantine  ears  had  heard  the  tales  of  the  old  Ame 
rican  wars,  is  ready  to  inquire,  as  he  accosts  the  stranger, 
"  Where  is  fort  Du  Quesne  ?"  He  is  answered,  "  It  is  gone." 
The  son  of  Albion,  in  treading  over  the  ground  which  for 
merly  belonged  to  the  subjects  of  King  George,  asks,  "  Where 
is  fort  Pitt  ?"  the  answer  is,  "  It  is  demolished."  And  the 
American,  whose  breast  swells  at  the  sight  of  the  ancient 
works  of  the  pioneers  of  the  west,  inquires,  "  Where  's  fort 
Lafayette  ?"  and  arrives  just  in  time  to  see  the  old  block-house 
torn  down,  and  the  last  of  the  forts  disappear. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

Plan  to  conquer  Canada — Pitt's  Circular  Letter — Plan  of  Campaign — General 
Amherst  takes  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point — Prideaux  sent  against  Niagara — 
His  Death — Sir  William  Johnson  successfully  prosecutes  his  Predecessor's  Plan — 
Expedition  against  Quebec  under  Wolfe — Several  unsuccessful  attempts — Climbs 
the  Heights  of  Abraham — Defeats  Montcalm — Death  of  Wolfe — Death  of  Montcalm 
— Capitulation  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Quebec — Sufferings  of  a  Captain  and  Ensign — 
French  abandon  Beaufort — Remains  of  the  French  Army  retire  to  Montreal — M. 
de  Levi  attempts  to  recover  Quebec — English  Colonies  raise  more  Men — Battle  of 
Sillery — English  defeated — M.  de  Levi  besieges  Quebec — Raises  the  Siege — Re 
treats  to  Montreal — French  Governor  makes  his  last  Stand  at  Montreal— General 
Amherst  appears — Governor  capitulates — End  of  the  War — Treaty. 

ENCOURAGED  by  the  success  of  the  last  campaign,  which, 
notwithstanding  the  defeat  of  Ticonderoga,  was  highly  hon- 


176  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1759. 


curable  to  the  English  arms  and  attended  with  important 
results,  it  was  resolved  that  the  year  1759  should  be  signal 
ized  by  the  entire  conquest  of  Canada,  though  the  late  effort 
had  produced  great  exhaustion  of  provincial  strength;  and 
when  Pitt's  circular  letter  animated  the  colonists  to  attempt 
the  most  vigorous  preparations  for  the  great  undertaking, 
they  found  that  their  resources  were  not  commensurate  with 
their  good  intentions. 

Three  armies,  however,  were  raised  to  attack,  at  nearly 
the  same  time,  the  strongholds  of  the  French  in  Canada : 
Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  Niagara,  and  Quebec. 

The  plan  of  the  campaign  was  as  follows :  As  soon  as  the 
St.  Lawrence  should  be  open  in  the  spring,  Brigadier-general 
Wolfe,  escorted  by  a  strong  fleet,  was  to  start  from  Louis- 
burg,  and  lay  siege  to  Quebec.  Major-General  Amherst,  who 
had  superseded  Abercrombie,  as  commander-in-chief,  with 
the  main  army,  was  to  march  by  the  way  of  Ticonderoga, 
Crown  Point,  and  Richelieu  river ;  descend  the  St.  Lawrence, 
and  form  a  junction  with  General  Wolfe  ;  while  General  Pri- 
deaux,  with  the  third  division,  was  to  capture  fort  Niagara ; 
sail  thence  for  Montreal ;  and,  after  taking  that  place,  join 
the  grand  army  before  Quebec. 

General  Amherst  marched  against  Ticonderoga,  which  he 
reached  on  the  22d  July.  As  the  naval  superiority  of  Eng 
land  prevented  France  sending  out  reinforcements,  none  of  the 
posts  in  this  quarter  were  able  to  defend  themselves.  Ticon 
deroga  soon  surrendered ;  and  Amherst,  after  strengthening 
this  place,  proceeded  against  Crown  Point,  of  which  he  took 
undisputed  possession,  the  enemy  having  abandoned  it  and 
fled  before  his  arrival. 

The  second  division  of  the  army,  destined  against  Niagara, 
was  led  on  by  General  Prideaux,  who,  embarking  at  Oswego, 
early  in  July,  soon  after  landed  within  a  few  miles  of  Niagara. 
As  the  French  had  Indian  auxiliaries,  and  knew  that  they  were 
not  well  calculated  for  sedentary  warfare,  it  was  determined 
to  risk  a  general  battle. 

Four  days  before  the  battle,  Prideaux  was  killed  by  the 
bursting  of  a  cohorn,  while  directing  the  operations  of  the 


1759.]  FRENCH   AND   INDIAN   WAR.  177 

siege,  and  the  command  devolved  on  Sir  William  Johnson, 
who  prosecuted  with  such  vigour  the  plan  of  his  predecessor, 
that  the  French,  alarmed  at  the  prospect  of  losing  a  post 
which  constituted  a  key  to  their  interior  empire  in  America, 
made  great  efforts  in  collecting  troops  from  the  neighbouring 
garrisons  of  Detroit,  Venango,  and  Presqu'  He.  General 
Johnson,  with  his  light  infantry,  some  grenadiers  and  regular 
foot,  placed  between  the  cataract  of  Niagara  and  the  fortress, 
with  the  auxiliary  Indians  on  his  flanks,  awaited  the  approach 
of  the  enemy,  who  appeared  on  the  morning  of  the  24th, 
charged  with  great  impetuosity,  were  received  with  heroic 
firmness;  and  being  deserted  by  their  Indian  allies,  the  French, 
in  less  than  an  hour,  were  completely  routed,  driven  back  to 
the  fort,  and  obliged  to  capitulate. 

The  least  promising,  but  the  most  daring  and  important 
expedition,  was  that  against  Quebec,  the  capital  of  Canada. 
Strong  by  nature,  and  much  improved  by  art,  it  was  the  Gib 
raltar  of  America ;  and  all  attempts  against  it  having  failed 
hitherto,  it  seemed  almost  impregnable.  The  armed  vessels, 
the  floating  batteries,  the  strong  fortifications,  the  perpen 
dicular  bank,  the  strong  forts,  and  a  large  army  commanded 
by  the  formidable  Marquis  de  Montcalm,  would  have  made 
the  idea  of  its  capture  appear  perfectly  chimerical  to  almost 
any  one  but  such  men  as  Pitt  and  Wolfe.  The  latter  was 
young,  of  an  ardent  mind,  glowing  with  enthusiasm,  and 
emulous  of  glory.  Pitt  had  discovered  this  in  Wolfe's  con 
duct  at  Louisburg,  which  induced  him  to  appoint  him  to 
conduct  this  difficult  expedition,  and  to  give  him  for  assistants, 
Brigadier-Generals  Monckton,  Townshend,  and  Murray,  all 
like  himself  young  and  enthusiastic. 

"  Wolfe,  now  dctach'd  and  bent  on  bolder  deeds, 
A  sail-borne  host  up  sea-like  Lawrence  leads, 
Stems  the  long  lessening  tide,  till  Abraham's  height 
And  famed  Quebec  rise  frowning  into  sight." 

Embarking  at  Louisburg,  under  convoy  of  Admirals  Saun- 
ders  and  Holmes,  he  landed  his  whole  army,  consisting  of 
8000  men,  on  the  island  of  Orleans,  a  few  miles  below  Quebec, 
near  the  last  of  June. 


178  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1759. 


After  several  attempts  to  reduce  the  place,  finding  himself 
baffled  and  harassed,  Wolfe  seems  to  have  resolved  to  finish 
the  enterprise  by  a  single  bold  and  desperate  effort. 

Determined  from  the  first  to  take  the  place,  impregnable  as 
it  was  accounted,  the  measures  of  General  Wolfe  were  singu 
larly  bold,  and  apparently  repugnant  to  all  the  maxims  of 
war.  His  attention  was  first  drawn  to  Point  Levi,  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  St.  Lawrence ;  upon  which,  after  taking 
possession  of  it,  he  erected  batteries.  By  means  of  these  he 
destroyed  many  houses,  but  from  this  point  it  was  soon  appa 
rent  that  little  impression  could  be  made  upon  the  fortifica 
tions  of  the  town. 

Finding  it  impracticable  thus  to  accomplish  his  purpose, 
Wolfe  next  decided  on  more  daring  measures.  For  the  pur 
pose  of  drawing  Montcalm  to  a  general  battle,  Wolfe,  with 
his  troops,  crossed  the  river  Montmorenci,  and  attacked  the 
enemy  in  their  entrenchments.  Owing,  however,  to  the 
grounding  of  some  of  the  boats  which  conveyed  the  troops,  a 
part  of  the  detachment  did  not  land  so  soon  as  the  others. 
The  corps  that  first  landed,  without  waiting  to  form,  rushed 
forward  impetuously  towards  the  enemy's  entrenchments. 
But  their  courage  proved  their  ruin.  A  close  and  well-di 
rected  fire  from  the  enemy  cut  them  down  in  great  numbers. 

Montcalm's  party  had  now  landed,  and  were  drawn  up  on 
the  beach  in  order.  But  it  was  near  night,  a  thunder-storm 
was  approaching,  and  the  tide  was  rapidly  setting  in.  Fearing 
the  consequences  of  delay,  Wolfe  ordered  a  retreat  across  the 
Montmorenci,  and  returned  to  his  quarters  on  the  Isle  oi 
Orleans.  In  this  rencontre  his  loss  amounted  to  near  600  oi 
the  flower  of  his  army. 

The  difficulties  of  effecting  the  conquest  of  Quebec  now 
pressed  upon  Wolfe  with  all  their  force.  But  he  knew  the  im 
portance  of  taking  this  strongest  hold — he  knew  the  expecta 
tions  of  his  countrymen — he  well  knew  that  no  military  con 
duct  could  shine  that  was  not  gilded  with  success. 

Disappointed  thus  far,  and  worn  down  with  fatigue  and 
watchfulness,  General  Wolfe  fell  violently  sick.  Scarcely 
had  he  recovered,  before  he  proceeded  to  put  in  execution  a 


1759.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  179 


plan  which  had  been  matured  on  his  sick-bed.  This  was  to 
proceed  up  the  river,  gain  the  heights  of  Abraham,  and  draw 
Montcalm  to  a  general  engagement. 

Accordingly,  the  troops  were  transported  up  the  river 
about  nine  miles.  On  the  12th  of  September,  one  hour  after 
midnight,  Wolfe  and  his  troops  left  the  ships,  and  in  boats 
silently  dropped  down  the  current,  intending  to  land  a  league 
above  Cape  Diamond,  and  there  ascend  the  bank  leading  to 
the  station  he  wished  to  gain.  Owing,  however,  to  the  ra 
pidity  of  the  river,  they  fell  below  the  intended  place,  and 
landed  a  mile,  or  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  city. 

The  operation  was  a  critical  one,  as  they  had  to  navigate 
in  silence,  down  a  rapid  stream,  and  to  find  a  right  place  for 
landing,  which,  amidst  surrounding  darkness,  might  be  easily 
mistaken.  Besides  this,  the  shore  was  shelving,  and  the  bank 
so  steep  and  lofty  as  scarcely  to  be  ascended,  even  without 
opposition  from  an  enemy.  Indeed,  the  attempt  was  in  the 
greatest  danger  of  being  defeated  by  an  occurrence  peculiarly 
interesting,  as  marking  the  very  great  delicacy  of  the  trans 
action. 

One  of  the  French  sentinels  posted  along  the  shore,  as  the 
English  boats  were  descending,  challenged  them  in  the  custom 
ary  military  language  of  the  French.  "  Qui  vit  ?"  "  who  goes 
there  ?"  To  which,  a  captain  in  Frazer's  regiment,  who  had 
served  in  Holland,  and  was  familiar  with  the  French  language 
and  customs,  promptly  replied,  "  la  France."  The  next 
question  was  still  more  embarrassing,  for  the  sentinel  de 
manded  "a  quel  regiment?"  "  to  what  regiment?"  The  cap 
tain,  wrho  happened  to  know  the  name  of  a  regiment  which 
was  up  the  river  with  Bougainville,  promptly  rejoined,  "de  la 
Reine"  "  the  Queen's."  The  soldier  immediately  replied, 
"passe;"  for  he  concluded  at  once  that  this  was  a  French 
convoy  of  provisions,  which,  as  the  English  had  learned  from 
some  deserters,  was  expected  to  pass  down  the  river  to 
Quebec.  The  other  sentinels  were  deceived  in  a  similar 
manner ;  but  one,  less  credulous  than  the  rest,  running  down 
to  the  water's  edge,  called  out,  "  Pour  quois  est  ce  que  vous 
ne  parlez  plus  haul  ?  "  "  Why  don't  you  speak  louder  ?"  The 


180  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1759. 


same  captain,  with  perfect  self-command,  replied,  "Tolstoi, 
nous  serons  entendus  /"  "  Hush,  we  shall  be  overheard  and 
discovered !"  The  sentry,  satisfied  with  this  caution,  retired, 
and  the  boats  passed  in  safety. — Silliman's  Tour. 

"  Swift  bounding  on  the  bank,  the  foe  they  claim, 
Climb  the  tall  mountain  like  a  rolling  flame, 
Push  wide  their  wings,  high  bannering  bright  the  air, 
And  move  to  fight  as  comets  cope  in  war." 

The  shelving  beach,  tlxe  high  and  precipitous  bank,  with 
only  one  narrow  path  by  which  it  could  be  scaled,  defended 
by  a  captain's  guard  and  battery  of  four  guns,  were  by  no 
means  very  promising  to  their  enterprise.  But  Wolfe  pro 
bably  now  thought,  as  he  before  had  said,  that  "  a  victorious 
army  finds  no  difficulties,"  which  of  course  signifies  that  it 
regards  none.  Colonel  Howe  led  the  van,  clambered  up  the 
rocks,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred 
feet,  almost  perpendicular  ascent — drove  away  the  guard, 
and  took  possession  of  the  battery.  The  army  landed  about 
an  hour  before  day,  on  the  13th  of  September,  and  at  day 
break  marshalled  on  the  heights  of  Abraham. 

Montcalm,  who  had  deemed  the  ascending  of  the  precipice 
an  impossibility,  could  not  at  first  credit  the  intelligence ;  but 
being  convinced  of  its  truth,  he  endeavoured  to  make  the 
best  of  it  by  hasty  preparations  for  a  battle,  winch  it  wras  no 
longer  possible  to  avoid.  He  left  his  camp  at  Montmorenci, 
crossed  the  river  St.  Charles,  and  advanced  against  the  Eng 
lish  army.  Wolfe,  on  perceiving  this  movement,  began  to 
form  his  order  of  battle.  The  right  wring  of  the  English 
army  was  commanded  by  General  Monckton;  the  left  by 
General  Murray.  The  Louisburg  grenadiers  covered  the 
right  flank,  and  Ho\ve's  infantry  the  rear  and  left;  while 
Webb's  regiment,  separated  by  wide  spaces  into  eight  sub 
divisions,  constituted  the  corps  of  reserve.  The  movements 
of  the  enemy  indicating  a  design  to  outflank  the  left  of  the 
English  army,  General  Townshend  was  ordered  to  double 
that  part  of  the  line  with  Amherst's  battalion  and  the  two 
battalions  of  Americans.  The  dispositions  of  the  French 
general  were  equally  ingenious.  His  right  and  left  wings 


1759.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  181 

were  composed  of  about  an  equal  number  of  European  and 
American  troops,  while  the  centre  consisted  of  a  column 
formed  by  two  battalions  of  regulars.  The  main  body  of  the 
French  was  preceded  by  fifteen  hundred  Indians  and  Cana 
dians,  who  annoyed  the  English  excessively  by  their  fire  from 
behind  the  bushes.  The  French  had  two  field-pieces ;  the 
English  one.  Wolfe  being  on  the  right  of  his  army  and 
Montcalm  on  the  left  of  the  French,  they  were  of  course  op 
posite  each  other.  Montcalm  led  briskly  to  the  charge. 

Wolfe  stands  the  representative  of  England ;  he  thinks  of 
Pitt ;  he  thinks  of  his  country ;  he  knows  that  between  a  bat 
tle  won  and  a  battle  lost  there  is  an  immense  distance ;  that 
empires  lie  between  them ;  that  upon  the  present  occasion 
this  maxim  will  prove  emphatically  true,  for  he  had  staked 
all  upon  this  hazardous  adventure.  The  pride  of  his  soul 
I  arises ;  he  is  to  decide  whether  Canada  is  to  be  a  French  or 
a  British  colony — whether  the  colonies  already  in  their  pos 
session  shall  be  enjoyed  peaceably  or  overrun  by  the  French 
and  Indians,  and  involved  in  irretrievable  ruins.  These  were 
thoughts  that  rushed  like  a  torrent  over  the  young  hero's  soul 
and  overwhelmed  every  consideration  of  personal  safety, 
He  was 


u pure  of  mind, 

But  formed  to  combat  with  his  kind ; 
Strong  in  mind,  and  of  a  mood 
Which  'gainst  the  world  in  war  had  stood, 
And  perish'd  in  the  foremost  rank 
With  joy." 

There  is  active  and  passive  courage ;  the  foi  mer  is  a  kind 
of  desperation,  often  closely  allied  to  cowardice ;  but  the 
latter  is  that  cool  daring  when  men  stand  and  look  upon  the 
approaching  enemy,  reserving  their  own  fire.  There  is  some 
thing  sublime  in  this — at  least  when  men  are  engaged  in  a 
just  cause :  it  is  the  most  dignified  courage  the  warrior  ever 
exhibits.  It  is  the  best  manifestation  of  a  determined  mind 
which  conquers  the  natural  fear  of  death. 

Between  nine  and  ten  o'clock,  the  two  armies,  about  equal 
in  number,  met  face  to  face.  The  English,  who  had  been 


182  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1*^59. 

ordered  to  reserve  their  fire,  regardless  of  that  of  the  de 
tached  body  of  Canadians  and  Indians,  skulking  about  the 
woods,  cornfields,  and  bushes,  awaited  the  approach  of  the 
French  army  until  they  were  within  forty  yards.  Now 

"  Hark !  peals  the  cannon's  deafening  knell, 
Now  bursts  the  closer  combat's  yell, 

The  sheathless  falchion's  glance  : 
While  ranks  that  stand,  o'er  ranks  that  kneei, 
Their  devastating  volleys  deal ; 
And  fast  as  bayonet  or  ball 
Make  breaches  in  the  human  wall, 
T'  avenge  or  share  their  comrades'  fall, 

The  rearward  files  advance. 

"  The  dust  by  trampling  thousands  plough'd, 
Fringing  the  battle's  heaving  cloud, 

There  is  no  breeze  to  rend  : 
But  through  the  gloom  each  varied  tone 
Of  slaughter's  voice — the  shout,  the  groan, — 
The  bugle's  blast,  the  charging  cheer, — 
The  mutual  volley,  sharp  and  clear, — 
The  shock  of  steel,  the  shriek  of  fear,— 

In  one  mad  chorus  blend  !" 

When  the  English  opened  their  general  fire,  they  made 
terrible  havoc  among  the  French.  Almost  every  shot  took 
effect.  The  French  fought  bravely,  but  their  ranks  were 
soon  thrown  into  disorder.  The  left  and  centre  of  the  French 
began  to  waver  and  give  way.  Wolfe  fell  as  he  was  pressing 
on  at  the  head  of  his  grenadiers,  with  fixed  bayonets.  Monck- 
ton,  second  in  command,  soon  shared  the  same  fate,  and  the 
command  devolved  on  General  Townshend.  Montcalm  re 
ceived  a  mortal  wound  about  the  same  time,  while  fighting 
in  front  of  his  battalions  ;  and  General  Senezergus,  the  second 
in  command,  also  fell.  The  British  grenadiers  still  pressed 
on  with  their  fixed  bayonets ;  General  Murray  by  a  brisk 
advance  broke  the  centre  of  the  French;  the  Highlanders 
drew  their  broadswords,  increasing  the  confusion  of  the  ene 
my,  while  Colonel  Howe,  who  had  stationed  two  companies 
behind  a  copse  on  the  left,  as  the  right  wing  of  the  French 
advanced  against  the  English,  rushed  from  his  ambush,  like 


1759.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  183 

a  mountain  torrent  upon  the  flank  of  the  astonished  foe  and 
threw  them  into  the  utmost  confusion  :  and  having  lost  their 
first  and  second  in  command,  the  right  and  centre  of  the 
French  were  driven  from  the  field,  and  the  left  were  follow 
ing,  when  Bougainville  made  his  appearance  in  the  rear  with 
1500  men  who  had  been  detached  by  Montcalm  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  English  after  they  had  left  their  camp  at 
the  isle  of  Orleans.  Two  battalions  and  two  pieces  of  artil 
lery  were  detached  to  meet  him,  but  he  faced  to  the  right 
about,  and  made  a  most  precipitate  retreat,  leaving  the  Eng 
lish  undisputed  masters  of  the  field. 

The  loss  of  the  French  far  exceeded  that  of  the  English : 
1000  were  killed,  and  1000  taken  prisoners.  Their  corps  of 
regulars  was  almost  entirely  destroyed.  The  loss  of  the 
English  in  killed  and  wounded  did  not  exceed  600.  Quebec 
was  still  strongly  defended  by  its  fortifications,  and  might  be 
relieved  by  Bougainville,  or  from  Montreal ;  but  General 
Townshend  finishing  a  road  in  the  bank,  to  take  up  his  heavy 
artillery,  the  inhabitants  capitulated  in  five  days  after  the 
battle,  on  condition  that  during  the  war  they  might  still  enjoy 
their  own  civil  and  religious  rights.  Murray  was  left  with 
a  garrison  of  5000 ;  and  the  fleet  sailed  out  of  the  St.  Law 
rence. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  we  give  a  poetical  description  of 
this  great  enterprise,  from  the  pen  of  a  very  able  writer : 

The  moon  had  drawn  her  watchful  eye 

From  Montmorency's  silver  wave, 
And  in  their  radiant  homes  on  high, 
Imprison'd  by  the  curtain'd  sky, 

The  stars,  unseen,  their  splendour  gave 
And  wild  St.  Lawrence'  waters  roll'd 

More  proudly  'neath  the  keels  that  bore 
(At  head  of  England's  chosen  bold) 

One  of  the  laurel-crown'd  of  war. 
No  martial  notes  from  trump  or  horn 
Were  on  the  midnight  breezes  borne. 
When  with  his  fairy  fleet  of  war 
Sought  France'  dread  foe  her  hostile  shore ; 
No  bugle-blast  rang  through  the  air, 
Waved  not  St.  George's  banner  there — 


184  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1759- 

Bat  swift  and  silent  as  the  gale 
-That  sped  them,  that  flotilla  frail 

Went  down  the  darken'd  tide ; 
While  on  the  leading  prow,  with  eye 
That  told  of  hopes  and  projects  high, 

Stood  Wolfe,  in  lonely  pride. 

Onward  they  sped — no  sound  was  heard 

Throughout  that  brave,  devoted  band, 
Save  the  ha>lf-sigh'd,  half-whisper'd  word 

That  told  their  daring  chief's  command. 
By  the  dark  wave's  phosphorent  beam, 

Who  saw  them  as  they  onward  flew, 
Had  thought  he  stood  by  Stygian  stream, 

And  saw  grim  Charon's  shadowy  crew. 

Nor  guardless  was  Quebec's  wide  coast, 
Nor  slept  they  at  their  fearful  post, 

On  Abraham's  dizzy  heights: 
Yet  was  that  shore  by  foemen  won, 
Nor  peal'd  there  forth  one  signal  gun, 

Nor  blazed  the  beacon-lights. 

Envelop'd  in  night's  rayless  pall, 
Frown'd  fearfully  the  towering  wall 
Of  Nature's  fortress  on  that  train ; 
That  wall,  that  fortress,  frown'd  in  vain : 
Onward  they  came,  as  comes  the  storm 

That  gathers  o'er  the  mountain's  head, 
When,  cloud  by  cloud,  its  forces  form 

In  one  vast  volume,  dark  and  dread. 

The  sun,  when  last  his  evening  light 
Look'd  down  on  Abraham's  guarded  n«ight, 

Saw  only  an  unpeopled  plain, 
Where  by  his  silent  cannon  stood 
The  sentinel  in  gloomy  mood, 
And  from  the  cliff's  bright  summit  view'd 

His  glowing  splendour  wane. 

The  sun  returning  found  not  there 

That  sentinel  at  his  guarded  post, 
But  saw,  beneath  the  colours  fair 
That  floated  in  the  mountain  air, 

Old  England's  banner'd  host, 


1759.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  185 

In  many  a  frowning  squadron  set, 
Whose  glittering  steel  and  bayonet, 
And  sheathless  swords,  and  armour  bright, 
Flash'd  proudly  back  his  beams  of  light. 

Then  o'er  the  morning  air  there  broke 

The  'larum  cannon's  lengthened  roar ; 
Then  spire  to  answering  turret  spoke. 
And  hush'd  Quebec  in  terror  woke, 

To  gird  her  for  the  coming  war. 

Blazed  then  her  beacon-lights  on  high, 

To  warn  Montcalm  his  foe  was  nigh ; 

Dash'd  through  her  streets,  with  lightning  speed, 

The  herald  on  his  foaming  steed ; 

And  'neath  the  bugle's  echoing  blast, 

From  camp  and  court,  from  hearth  and  hall, 
Came  plumed  warriors  fierce  and  fast, 

Responsive  to  its  rallying  call. 

Noon  came  not  ere  tnose  armies  met, 

Where  armies  ne'er  before  had  stood — 
On  plains  which,  unensanguined  yet, 

Should  know  too  soon  the  hue  of  blood ; 
Whose  sleeping  echoes  soon  should  swell 

With  sounds  unecho'd  there  before, 
And  bear  o'er  many  a  distant  dell 
The  victor's  shout,  the  vanquishes  knell, 
And  all  the  varied  tones  that  tell 

The  presence  of  the  demon  War. 

"  Nature  sleeps  quiet  on  the  verge 

Of  great  convulsions" —  and  't  is  said 
A  death-like  silence  is  the  dirge 

That  wails  the  coming  earthquake's  dead. 
Such  was  the  pause  on  Abraham's  height, 
While,  in  their  dread  array  of  might, 

They  wait  the  signal  to  advance ; 
Then  rang  the  clarion  wild  and  high, 
And  "  Wolfe  and  England !"  rent  the  sky. 

And  "  Count  Montcalm  for  France !" 

As  when,  by  counter-currents  driven, 
Fierce  storm-clouds  meet  athwart  the  heaven, 
And  mingle  into  one ; 

24  Q* 


186  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1759. 

While  frequent  flashes  gild  the  air, 
And  the  loud  thunder  rolls  afar, 
So  was  the  fight  begun. 

Blaze  followed  blaze ;  roar  answered  roar  ; 
And  from  St.  Lawrence'  farthest  shore 

Responsive  echoes  rung ; 
Bounded  the  frighted  wild-deer  by, 
And  from  his  eyrie  lone  and  high 

The  startled  eagle  sprung. 

Nor  least  amid  the  varied  tones 

Of  charging  shouts  and  dying  groans, 

The  savage  war-whoop  rose : 
While  gliding  forms  like  sprites  were  seen, 
With  painted  face  and  earthless  mien, 

Mingling  with  England's  foes. 

And  who  is  he,  the  youth  whose  plume 

Waves  foremost  in  the  ranks  of  death  ; 
Whose  sword  is  shunn'd  as  surer  doom 

Than  waits  upon  the  Upas'  breath  ? 
From  rank  to  rank,  from  post  to  post, 

Through  England's  lines  his  steed  is  spurr'd, 
And  where  the  battle  rages  most, 

Above  its  din  his  voice  is  heard. 

'Tis  Wolfe — nor  scatheless  has  he  pass'd 

Amid  the  death-wing'd  balls  that  fly 
Like  hail  before  the  summer  blast : 

Alas !  not  all  could  pass  him  by. 
Wounded  and  worn,  he  still  commands — 
Still  urges  on  his  wavering  bands, 
And  shouts  through  their  thinn'd  ranks  the  cry, 
"  Charge  now  for  death  or  victory  /" 

They  charged — but  though  with  fearful  shock, 

'Twas  firmly  met  as  firmly  given  ; 
So  meets  the  frowning  ocean  rock 

The  riving  thunderbolt  of  heaven. 
They  charged — but  when  the  wheeling  clouds 

Reveal  that  fearful  field  again, 
The  eye  that  seeks  amid  those  crowds 

For  valiant  Wolfe,  must  seek  in  vain. 

The  centre  of  an  anxious  group, 
Supported  by  his  aids  apart, 


Now  gradually  his  powers  droop, 

And  steals  the  life-blood  from  his  heart 
Still  doth  he  watch  with  dauntless  eye 

The  wavering  fortunes  of  the  field, 
Anxious  in  death  to  hear  the  cry 

Which  tells  him  that  the  foemen  yield. 

That  cry  was  heard — again — again 
It  thunder'd  o'er  the  battle-plain : 

"  For  Wolfe  and  England !"  rang  the  cry. 
While  faithful  echo  answer'd  still, 
From  rock  to  rock,  from  hill  to  hill ; 

So  wildly  rose  those  shouts  and  high, 
It  seem'd  the  very  vault  of  Heaven 
Had  been  by  acclaiming  voices  riven, 

New  life  a  moment  fill'd  his  frame. 
And  haply  o'er  his  spirit  came 
Some  sunny  visions  of  his  fame, 

Gilding  the  clouds  of  death ; 
His  eye  unearthly  language  spoke, 
One  smile  on  his  pale  lips  awoke, 

And  with  his  failing  breath, 
In  whisper'd  accents,  he  replied 
To  those  victorious  shouts — and  died  ! 

The  death  of  Wolfe  cast  a  gloom  over  the  brilliant  victory, 
and  his  fall  was  universally  and  deeply  regretted  in  England 
and  throughout  the  colonies. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  battle,  he  was  wounded  in  the 
wrist  by  a  musket  ball ;  he  wrapped  his  handkerchief  round 
it,  continued  to  give  his  orders  with  his  usual  calmness  and 
perspicuity,  and  informed  the  soldiers  that  the  advanced 
parties,  on  the  front,  had  his  orders  to  retire,  and  that  they 
need  not  be  surprised  when  it  happened.  Soon  after,  he 
received  a  shot  in  the  groin,  which  he  concealed,  still  pressing 
onward.  Towards  the  end  of  the  battle,  which  had  lasted 
only  about  fifteen  minutes,  until  the  French  began  to  give 
way,  Wolfe  received  a  new  wound  in  the  breast ;  he  imme 
diately  retired  behind  the  rear  rank,  supported  by  a  grenadier, 
and  laid  himself  down  on  the  ground.  Soon  after,  a  shout 
was  heard,  and  some  of  the  officers  who  stood  by  him 
exclaimed,  "  See  how  they  run !"  The  dying  hero,  raising 


188  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1759. 


his  head,  asked,  with  some  emotion,  "  Who  run  ?"  "  The 
enemy,"  replied  the  officer ;  "  they  give  way  everywhere." 
The  General  then  said,  "  Pray,  do  one  of  you  run  to  Colonel 
Burton,  and  tell  him  to  march  Webb's  regiment,  with  all 
speed,  down  to  Charles  river,  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the 
fugitives  from  the  bridge.  Now,  God  be  praised,  I  shall  die 
happy !"  He  then  turned  on  his  side,  closed  his  eyes,  and 
expired. 

"  This  death,"  says  Professor  Silliman,  "  has  furnished  a 
grand  and  pathetic  subject  for  the  painter,  the  poet,  and  the 
historian,  and,  undoubtedly,  considered  as  a  specimen  of  mere 
military  glory,  it  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  that  the  annals 
of  war  afford." 

The  death  of  Montcalm  was  equally  heroic.  Being  told 
that  his  wound  was  mortal,  and  that  he  could  survive  but  a 
few  hours,  he  replied,  "  So  much  the  betterj  I  shall  not  live 
to  see  the  surrender  of  Quebec." 

The  following  acco  &it  of  the  dangers  and  sufferings  of 
two  officers  of  the  Engi.sh  army,  during  the  battle,  is  given 
by  Professor  Silliman. 

"  Captain  Ochterlony  and  Ensign  Peyton  belonged  to  the 
regiment  of  Brigadier-General  Monckton.  They  were  nearly 
of  an  age,  which  did  not  exceed  thirty.  Both  were  agreeable 
in  person,  and  were  connected  together  by  the  ties  of  mutual 
friendship  and  esteem.  On  the  day  that  preceded  the  battle, 
the  captain  had  fought  with  a  German  officer,  in  which, 
though  he  wounded  and  disarmed  his  antagonist,  yet  he  him 
self  received  a  dangerous  hurt  under  the  right  arm,  in  conse 
quence  of  which,  his  friends  insisted  on  his  remaining  in 
camp  during  the  action  of  next  day ;  but  his  spirit  was  too 
great  to  comply  with  this  remonstrance.  He  declared  it 
should  never  be  said  that  a  scratch,  received  in  a  private 
rencontre,  had  prevented  him  from  doing  his  duty,  when  his 
country  required  his  service;  and  he  took  the  field  with  a 
fusil  in  his  hand,  though  he  was  hardly  able  to  carry  his 
arms.  In  leading  up  his  men  to  the  enemy's  entrenchment, 
he  was  shot  through  the  lungs  with  a  musket-ball,  an  acci 
dent  which  obliged  him  to  part  with  his  fusil,  but  he  still 


1759.]  FRENCH    AND   INDIAN    WAR.  189 


continued  advancing,  until,  by  loss  of  blood,  he  became  too 
weak  to  proceed  further.  About  the  same  time,  Mr.  Peyton 
was  lamed  by  a  shot,  which  shattered  the  small  bone  of  his 
left  leg.  The  soldiers,  in  their  retreat,  earnestly  begged,  with 
tears  in  their  eyes,  that  Captain  Ochterlony  would  allow  them 
to  carry  him  and  the  ensign  off  the  field.  But  he  was  so  big 
oted  to  a  severe  point  of  honour,  that  he  would  not  quit  the 
ground,  though  he  desired  they  would  take  care  of  his  ensign. 
Mr.  Peyton,  with  a  generous  disdain,  rejected  their  good 
offices,  declaring  that  he  would  not  leave  his  captain  in  such 
a  situation,  and,  in  a  little  time,  they  remained  sole  survivors 
on  that  part  of  the  field. 

"  The  captain  sat  down  by  his  friend,  and,  as  they  expected 
nothing  but  immediate  death,  they  took  leave  of  each  other ; 
yet  they  were  not  altogether  abandoned  by  the  hope  of  being 
protected  as  prisoners  ;  for  the  captain,  seeing  a  French  sol 
dier,  with  two  Indians,  approach,  started  up,  and  accosting 
them  in  the  French  language,  which  he  spoke  perfectly  well, 
expressed  his  expectation  that  they  would  treat  him  and  his 
companion  as  officers,  prisoners,  and  gentlemen. 

"  The  two  Indians  seemed  to  be  entirely  under  the  conduct 
of  the  Frenchman,  who,  coming  up  to  Mr.  Peyton  as  he  sat 
on  the  ground,  snatched  his  laced  hat  from  his  head,  and  rob 
bed  the  captain  of  his  watch  and  money.  This  outrage  was 
a  signal  to  the  Indians  for  murder  and  pillage.  One  of  them, 
clubbing  his  firelock,  struck  at  him  behind,  with  a  view  to 
knock  him  down,  but  the  blow,  missing  his  head,  took  place 
upon  his  shoulders.  At  the  same  instant,  the  other  Indian 
poured  his  shot  into  the  breast  of  this  unfortunate  young 
gentleman,  who  cried  out :  "  Oh !  Peyton !  the  villain  has 
shot  me."  Not  yet  satiated  w-ith  cruelty,  the  barbarian 
sprung  upon  him  and  stabbed  him  in  the  abdomen  with  his 
scalping-knife.  The  captain,  having  parted  with  his  fusil, 
had  no  weapon  for  his  defence,  as  none  of  the  officers  wore 
swords  in  the  action.  The  three  ruffians,  finding  him  still 
alive,  endeavoured  to  strangle  him  with  his  own  sash ;  and 
he  was  now  upon  his  knees,  struggling  against  them  with 
surprising  exertion.  Mr.  Peyton,  at  this  juncture,  having  a 


190  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1759. 


double-barrelled  musket  in  his  hand,  and  seeing  the  distress 
of  his  friend,  fired  at  one  of  the  Indians,  who  dropped  dead 
on  the  spot.  The  other,  thinking  the  ensign  would  now  be 
an  easy  prey,  advanced  towards  him,  and  Mr.  Peyton,  hav 
ing  taken  good  aim,  at  the  distance  of  four  yards  discharged 
his  piece  a  second  time,  but  it  seemed  to  take  no  effect.  The 
savage  fired  in  his  turn  and  wounded  the  ensign  in  the  shoul 
der  ;  then  rushing  upon  him,  thrust  his  bayonet  through  his 
body ;  he  repeated  the  blow,  in  attempting  to  parry  which 
Mr.  Peyton  received  another  wound  in  his  left  hand ;  never 
theless,  he  seized  the  Indian's  musket  with  the  same  hand, 
pulled  him  forwards,  and  W7ith  his  right  drawing  a  dagger 
which  hung  by  his  side,  plunged  it  in  the  barbarian's  side. 
A  violent  struggle  ensued  ;  but  at  length  Mr.  Peyton  was  up 
permost,  and,  with  repeated  strokes  of  his  dagger,  killed  his 
antagonist.  Here  he  was  seized  with  an  unaccountable  emo 
tion  of  curiosity  to  know  whether  or  not  his  shot  had  taken 
effect  on  the  body  of  the  Indian ;  he  accordingly  turned  him 
up,  and  stripping  off  his  blanket,  perceived  that  the  ball  had 
penetrated  quite  through  the  cavity  of  the  breast.  Having 
thus  obtained  a  dear-bought  victory,  he  started  up  on  one 
leg,  and  saw  the  captain  standing  at  the  distance  of  sixty 
yards,  close  by  the  enemy's  breast-work,  with  the  French 
soldier  attending  him.  Mr.  Peyton  then  called  aloud,  "  Cap 
tain,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  have  at  last  got  under  protection. 
Beware  of  that  villain,  who  is  more  barbarous  than  the  sav 
ages.  God  bless  you,  my  dear  Captain.  I  see  a  party  of 
Indians  coming  this  way,  and  expect  to  be  murdered  imme 
diately."  A  number  of  these  barbarians  had  for  some  time 
been  employed  on  the  left,  in  scalping  and  pillaging  the  dying 
and  the  dead  that  were  left  upon  the  field  of  battle ;  and 
above  thirty  of  them  were  in  full  march  to  destroy  Mr.  Pey 
ton.  This  gentleman  knew  he  had  no  mercy  to  expect ;  for, 
should  his  life  be  spared  for  the  present,  they  would  have 
afterwards  insisted  upon  sacrificing  him  to  the  manes  of  their 
brethren  whom  he  had  slain  ;  and  in  that  case  he  would  have 
been  put  to  death  by  the  most  excruciating  tortures.  Full 
of  this  idea,  he  snatched  up  his  musket,  and,  notwithstanding 


1759.]  FRENCH    AND    INDIAN    WAR.  191 

his  broken  leg,  ran  above  forty  yards  without  halting ;  and 
feeling  himself  now  totally  disabled,  and  incapable  of  pro 
ceeding  one  step  further,  he  loaded  his  piece  and  presented 
it  at  the  two  foremost  Indians,  who  stood  aloof  waiting  to  be 
joined  by  their  fellows ;  while  the  French,  from  their  breast 
works,  kept  up  a  continual  fire  of  cannon  and  small-arms 
upon  this  poor,  solitary,  maimed  gentleman.  In  this  uncom 
fortable  situation  he  stood,  when  he  discerned,  at  a  distance, 
a  Highland  officer  with  a  party  of  his  men  skirting  the  plain 
towards  the  field  of  battle.  He  forthwith  waved  his  hand  as 
a  signal  of  distress,  and  being  perceived  by  the  officer,  he  de 
tached  three  of  his  men  to  his  assistance.  These  brave  fel 
lows  hastened  to  him  through  the  midst  of  a  terrible  fire,  and 
one  of  them  bore  him  off  on  his  shoulders.  The  Highland 
officer  was  Captain  Macdonald,  of  Colonel  Frazer's  battalion ; 
who,  understanding  that  a  young  gentleman,  his  kinsman, 
had  dropped  on  the  field  of  battle,  had  put  himself  at  the 
head  of  his  party,  with  which  he  penetrated  to  the  middle  of 
the  field,  drove  a  considerable  number  of  the  French  and  In 
dians  before  him,  and  finding  his  relation  still  unscalped,  car 
ried  him  off  in  triumph. 

"  Poor  Captain  Ochterlony  was  conveyed  to  Quebec,  where, 
in  a  few  days,  he  died  of  his  wounds.  After  the  reduction 
of  that  place,  the  French  surgeons  who  attended  him  de 
clared  that,  in  all  probability,  he  would  have  recovered  of  the 
two  shots  he  had  received  in  his  breast,  had  he  not  been 
mortally  wounded  in  the  abdomen  by  the  Indian's  scalping- 
knife. 

"As  this  very  remarkable  scene  was  acted  in  sight  of  both 
armies,  General  Townshend,  in  the  sequel,  expostulated  with 
the  French  officers  upon  the  inhumanity  of  keeping  up  such  a 
severe  fire  against  two  wounded  gentlemen,  who  were  disabled, 
and  destitute  of  all  hope  of  escaping.  They  answered, '  that 
the  fire  was  not  made  by  the  regulars,  but  by  the  Canadians 
and  savages,  whom  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  discipline  to 
restrain.' " 

The  day  after  the  engagement,  the  enemy  abandoned  Beau 
fort,  leaving  behind  them  about  eighty  pieces  of  cannon  and 


192  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1760. 


three  mortars,  having  first  set  fire  to  all  their  floating  batteries, 
and  blown  up  their  magazines  of  powder  for  supplying  them 
and  the  troops  that  were  on  that  side. 

The  remains  of  the  French  army,  which  were  still  large, 
under  M.  de  Levi,  retired  to  Montreal.  At  first  he  had 
hoped  to  recover  Quebec,  by  a  coup-de-main,  during  the  win 
ter  ;  but,  finding  the  outposts  too  well  secured,  and  the  gov 
ernor  very  vigilant,  he  postponed  the  enterprise  until  spring. 

The  English  resolved  to  follow  up  their  victories ;  while 
the  French  were  determined,  if  possible,  to  retrieve  their 
lost  fortunes.  The  colonial  legislatures  voted  for  1760,  the 
same  number  of  men  they  had  furnished  this  year,  while 
M.  de  Levi  made  preparation  to  retake  Quebec  before  those 
forces  could  arrive.  In  April,  when  the  upper  part  of  the  St. 
Lawrence  was  open,  he  descended  the  river,  under  the  convoy 
of  six  frigates ;  and,  after  a  march  of  ten  days,  arrived  with 
his  army  at  Point  au  Tremble,  within  a  few  miles  of  Quebec. 
The  garrison  of  General  Murray,  to  whom  the  care  of  main 
taining  the  English  conquest  had  been  intrusted,  instead  of 
5000,  could  now  muster  only  about  3000  men  fit  for  service. 
The  troops  had  been  thus  reduced  by  sickness,  arising  from 
an  extremely  cold  winter,  and  a  want  of  good  provisions. 

With  this  small  body,  he  resolved  to  meet  the  enemy  in 
the  field ;  and,  on  the  28th  of  April,  he  marched  out  to  meet 
him,  when  a  bloody  battle  was  fought  at  Sillery,  about  three 
miles  above  the  city.  The  English,  after  losing  1000  men, 
finding  themselves  in  danger  of  being  outflanked  and  sur 
rounded  by  superior  numbers,  found  it  necessary  to  retreat  to 
Quebec.  The  French  loss  has  been  estimated  at  about  2000. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  the  French  opened  trenches 
before  the  town,  but  it  was  not  until  the  llth  of  May  that 
he  could  mount  his  batteries,  and  bring  his  guns  to  bear  upon 
the  fortifications.  In  the  meantime,  Murray  was  not  idle. 
By  the  most  indefatigable  exertions  he  had  completed  some 
outworks,  and  mounted  so  numerous  an  artillery  on  his  ram 
parts,  that  his  fire  far  exceeded  that  of  the  besiegers.  In  a 
few  days  a  British  fleet  appeared,  and  M.  de  Levi  raised  the 
siege  very  hastily,  and  retired  precipitately  to  Montreal. 


1760-3.]  FRENCH   AND   INDIAN    WAR.  193 


Here,  the  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil,  Governor-General  of  Canada, 
had  fixed  his  head-quarters ;  and  here,  he  resolved  to  make  a 
last  and  a  desperate  effort.  He  called  in  all  his  detachments, 
and  collected  in  this  place  all  the  force  of  the  colony. 

The  English  were  resolved  to  annihilate  the  French  power 
in  Canada,  and  with  this  viewr,  General  Amherst  prepared  to 
overwhelm  it  with  a  superiority  of  numbers.  The  armies 
from  Quebec,  from  lake  Ontario  and  lake  Champlain,  arrived, 
on  the  6th  and  7th  September,  before  Montreal.  The  French 
governor  perceiving  that  resistance  would  be  in  vain,  a  ca 
pitulation  was  immediately  signed;  and  Detroit,  Michili- 
mackinac — in  a  word,  all  New  France  soon  after  surrendered 
to  the  English.  The  French  troops  were  to  be  carried  home, 
and  the  Canadians  to  retain  their  civil  and  religious  privileges. 

Thus  terminated  a  war,  during  which  the  most  unheard-of 

cruelties  had  been  perpetrated  by  the  savages,  mutually  ex- 

I  cited  by  the  French  and  English  against  each  other.     The 

I  French  commenced  by  attempting  to  confine  the  English  to 

a  narrow  strip  of  country  along  the  Atlantic,  and  ended  with 

|  the  loss  of  what  was  then  their  only  important  territory  in 

North  America. 

In  1763,  a  definitive  treaty  was  signed  at  Paris,  and  soon 
after  ratified  by  the  Kings  of  England  and  France,  by  which 
all  Nova  Scotia,  Canada,  the  isle  of  Cape  Breton,  with  all  the 
other  islands  in  the  gulf  and  river  St.  Lawrence,  were  ceded 
to  Great  Britain. 

While  the  troops  were  engaged  in  the  conquest  of  Canada, 
the  Cherokee  Indians,  a  powerful  tribe,  wrere  committing 
many  outrages  in  the  colonies  of  Virginia  and  South  Carolina. 
General  Amherst  despatched  General  Montgomery  with  an 
army  of  1200  men  against  them.  He  proceeded  into  their 
country,  where  he  plundered  and  destroyed  their  villages  and 
magazines  of  corn;  but  being  obliged  to  return,  Colonel 
Grant  was  sent  against  the  savages  with  an  army  of  near 
2600  men.  He  met  the  enemy,  and  after  a  severe  battle 
put  them  to  flight.  He  next  proceeded  to  burn  their  corn 
fields,  magazines,  villages,  &c.  The  chiefs  came  in,  and  a 
peace  was  concluded. 

35  i 


194  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1760-3. 

"  Again  the  towns  aspire ;  the  cultured  field 
And  crowded  mart  their  copious  treasures  yield , 
Back  to  his  plough  the  colon  soldier  moves, 
And  songs  of  triumph  fill  the  warbling  groves ; 
The  conscious  flocks,  returning  joys  that  share, 
Spread  through  the  grassland  o'er  the  walks  of  war  ; 
Streams,  freed  of  gore,  their  crystal  course  regain, 
Serener  sunbeams  gild  the  tentless  plain ; 
A  general  jubilee,  o'er  earth  and  heaven, 
Leads  the  gay  mom  and  lights  the  lambent  even. 

Rejoicing,  confident  of  long  repose, 
(Then*  friends  triumphant,  far  retired  their  foes,) 
The  British  colonies  now  feel  their  sway, 
Span  the  whole  north  and  crowd  the  western  day. 
Acadia,  Canada,  earth's  total  side, 
From  Slave's  long  lake  to  Pensacola's  tide, 
Expand  their  soils  for  them ;  and  here  unfold 
A  range  of  highest  hope,  a  promised  age  of  gold." 


1764.]  REVOLUTION.  195 


PART  HI. 


REVOLUTION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Cause  of  the  Revolution — Stamp  Act — Its  Effects — Grenville's  Speech — Barre's 
Reply — Change  of  Ministry — Effort  to  revoke  the  Stamp  Act — Franklin's  Speech 
— Greuville's  Reply — Pitt's  Speech — revocation  of  the  Stamp  Act — Change  of 
Ministry — Duties  on  Tea,  &c. — Disturbances  in  the  Colonies — Imprudent  Acts  of 
Parliament — Troops  sent  to  Boston — Fight  between  Soldiers  and  Citizens — Im 
portation  of  Tea — Its  Recept ion— Boston  Port-Bill—Meetings  held  in  the  Colonies 
— Congress  meets  at  Philadelphia — Their  Acts — What  constitutes  a  State — Prepara 
tions  for  War — Assistance  of  the  Ladies— Governor  fortifies  Boston— Seizes  the 
Powder  at  Charlestown— People  fly  to  Arms— Excitement  hi  the  other  Provinces. 

'*  What  heroes  from  the  woodland  sprung, 
When  through  the  fresh  awaken'd  land 
The  thrilling  cry  of  freedom  rung, 
And  to  the  work  of  warfare  strung 
The  yeoman's  iron  hand !" 


the  blood  more  etirs 


To  rouse  a  lion,  than  to  start  a  hare." 

ALTHOUGH  the  object  of  this  work  is,  more  particularly,  the 
description  of  warlike  operations,  than  the  proceedings  of 
legislative  bodies,  yet,  the  rights  of  the  colonists,  and  of  man 
kind  generally,  were  so  ably  discussed  in  America  and  in 
England,  just  before,  and  during  the  revolution,  and  the  justice 
of  the  war  so  clearly  demonstrated  to  every  unprejudiced 
mind,  that  we  could  not  do  justice  to  our  subject  without 
entering  more  fully  into  their  detail  than  we  had  at  first  in 
tended. 

Instead  of  giving  the  detached  ideas  of  many  individuals, 


196  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1764. 


from  which  we  can  never  form  correct  opinions,  we  shall  give 
the  orations  of  a  few  of  those  illustrious  men,  of  both  coun 
tries,  whose  minds  rose  higher  and  higher,  and  shone  with 
brighter  effulgence  as  the  fearful  political  storm  increased 
around  them. 

Taxation  or  no  taxation,  that  was  the  question — the  hinge 
upon  which  the  revolution  turned. 

After  the  close  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  and  the 
treaty  of  1763,  England,  encumbered  with  an  enormous  na 
tional  debt,  incurred  by  her  wars  in  the  Old  and  the  New 
World,  adopted  a  most  oppressive  policy  against  the  colonies. 
An  act  was  passed  in  Parliament,  September  24,  1764,  the 
preamble  to  which  began  thus :  "  Whereas,  it  is  just  and  ne 
cessary  that  a  revenue  be  raised  in  America,  for  defraying  the 
expenses  of  defending,  protecting,  and  securing  the  same,  wre 
the  Commons,  &c."  The  act  then  goes  on  to  lay  a  duty  on 
a  variety  of  articles,  The  colonists  justly  contended  that 
taxation  and  representation  were  inseparable,  and  that  they 
could  not  be  safe,  if  their  property  could  be  taken  from  them 
without  their  consent. 

The  following  year,  notwithstanding  the  memorials,  the 
remonstrances,  the  petitions,  and  resolutions  of  the  Ameri 
can  provinces,  the  famous  stamp  act  passed  both  houses  of 
Parliament.  By  this  it  was  ordained  that  instruments  of 
writing,  such  as  deeds,  bonds,  notes,  &c,  among  the  colonies, 
should  be  null  and  void,  unless  executed  on  stamped  paper, 
for  which  a  high  duty  should  be  paid  to  the  crown.  To 
make  this  act  still  more  odious,  if  possible,  the  stamp  duties 
were  to  be  paid  in  specie;  of  which,  said  Benjamin  Franklin, 
there  was  not  enough,  in  all  the  colonies,  to  pay  them,  even 
for  one  year.  Another  provision  in  this  act  was,  that  those 
charged  with  a  violation  of  the  revenue  laws  might  be  prose 
cuted  in  the  courts  of  admiralty,  thus  depriving  them  of  a 
trial  by  jury,  and  exposing  them  to  the  rapacity  of  a  single 
officer  of  the  crown,  whose  salary  proceeded  from  the  very  for 
feitures  decreed  by  himself! ! 

The  legislature  of  Virginia  being  in  session  when  the  news 
of  the  act  was  received,  immediately  passed  resolutions 


1765.]  REVOLUTION.  197 


against  it.  The  general  court  of  Massachusetts  recommended 
a  congress  of  deputies  from  the  colonies,  to  deliberate  upon 
the  best  means  of  opposing  this  preposterous  system  of  taxa 
tion.  They  met  at  New  York,  drew  up  a  declaration  of 
rights  and  grievances  of  the  colonies ;  and  voted  a  petition  to 
the  king.  The  greatest  excitement  prevailed  among  the 
people.  In  one  of  the  societies  they  formed,  the  members 
bound  themselves  to  march,  at  their  own  expense,  to  any  part 
of  the  continent,  for  the  single  purpose  of  preventing  the  ex 
ecution  of  the  stamp  act. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  the  ships  which  brought  the  stamps, 
appeared  in  sight  of  Philadelphia ;  whereupon  all  the  vessels 
in  the  harbour  hoisted  their  colours  half-staff  high :  the  bells 
were  muffled,  and  tolled  during  the  remainder  of  the  day, 
and  all  seemed  to  denote  great  mourning  over  a  national 
calamity. 

On  the  1st  of  November,  when  the  stamp  act  came  into 
operation,  the  day  was  ushered  in  by  a  tolling  of  the  bells  in 
Boston  and  in  Postsmouth.  In  the  latter  place,  a  coffin,  in 
scribed  with  the  word  Liberty,  was  carried  to  the  grave. 
Minute-guns  were  fired  during  the  movements  of  the  funeral 
procession,  and  at  the  grave  an  oration  was  offered  in  favour 
of  the  deceased.  Similar  feelings  were  manifested  in  various 
parts  of  the  country.  Riots  broke  out  in  the  principal  cities ; 
officers  were  threatened,  and  some  had  their  houses  demolished, 
and  their  furniture  destroyed.  "  The  courts  of  justice  were 
closed ;  the  ports  were  shut ;  even  marriages  were  no  longer 
celebrated ;  and,  in  a  word,  an  absolute  stagnation  in  all  the 
relations  of  social  life  was  established." 

When  great  outrages  are  committed  upon  a  spirited  people ; 
when  attempts  are  made  to  deprive  them  of  their  rights,  their 
indignation  becomes  terrible,  and  many  become  extremely 
violent,  so  as  often  to  injure  for  a  time  the  most  noble  cause. 
Their  more  prudent  brethren,  or  their  own  reflections,  when 
the  first  impulse  is  over,  generally,  however,  bring  them  within 
due  bounds,  to  make  a  reasonable  and  judicious  opposition  to 
their  oppressors. 

The  King's  ministers,  who,  pending  this  bill,  had  been  de- 


198  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1765. 


claiming  vehemently  against  the  opposition  of  the  colonists, 
had  proved  nothing  but  their  own  bigotry  and  blind  zeal  for 
the  King,  and  their  entire  destitution  of  a  sense  of  political 
truth  and  justice,  relative  to  this  great  question.  Mr.  Charles 
Townsend,  in  the  conclusion  of  a  speech  on  this  measure  of 
George  Grenville's,  exclaimed, 

"  These  Americans,  our  own  children,  planted  by  our  cares, 
nourished  by  our  indulgence,  protected  by  our  arms,  until 
they  are  grown  to  a  good  degree  of  strength  and  opulence  ; 
will  they  now  turn  their  backs  upon  us,  and  grudge  to  con 
tribute  their  mite  to  relieve  us  from  the  heavy  load  which 
overwhelms  us?" 

Colonel  Barre  caught  the  words,  and  with  the  true  spirit 
of  a  soldier,  said : 

"  Planted  by  your  cares  1  No !  your  oppression  planted 
them  in  America ;  they  fled  from  your  tyranny  into  a  then 
uncultivated  land,  where  they  were  exposed  to  almost  all  the 
hardships  to  which  human  nature  is  liable,  and  among  others, 
to  the  savage  cruelty  of  the  enemy  of  the  country ;  a  people 
the  most  subtle,  and,  I  take  upon  me  to  say,  the  most  truly 
terrible  of  any  people  that  ever  inhabited  any  part  of  God's 
earth  ;  and  yet,  actuated  by  principles  of  true  English  liberty, 
they  met  all  these  hardships  with  pleasure,  compared  with 
those  they  suffered  in  their  own  country,  from  the  hands  ol 
those  that  should  have  been  their  friends. 

"  They  nourished  by  your  indulgence  ?  They  grew  by  your 
I  neglect ;  as  soon  as  you  began  to  care  about  them,  that  care 
was  exercised  in  sending  persons  to  rule  over  them,  in  one 
department  and  another,  who  were,  perhaps,  the  deputies  of 
some  members  of  this  house,  sent  to  spy  out  their  liberty,  to 
misrepresent  their  actions,  and  to  prey  upon  them;  men 
whose  behaviour,  on  many  occasions,  had  caused  the  blood 
of  these  sons  of  liberty  to  recoil  within  them ;  men,  pro 
moted  to  the  highest  seats  of  justice,  some  of  whom,  to  my 
knowledge ,  were  glad,  by  going  to  foreign  countries,  to  escape 
the  vengeance  of  the  laws  in  their  own. 

"  They  protected  by  your  arms  ?    They  have  nobly  taken  up 
arms  in  your  defence,  have  exerted  their  valour  amidst  their 


1765.]  REVOLUTION.  199 

constant  and  laborious  industry,  for  the  defence  of  a  country, 
whose  frontiers,  while  drenched  in  blood,  its  interior  parts 
have  yielded,  for  your  enlargements,  the  little  savings  of  their 
frugality  and  the  fruits  of  their  toils.  And  believe  me,  re 
member  I  this  day  told  you  so,  that  the  same  spirit  which 
actuated  that  people  at  first,  will  continue  with  them  still ; 
I  but  prudence  forbids  me  to  explain  myself  any  further.  God 
knows  I  do  not,  at  this  time,  speak  from  motives  of  party 
heat ;  what  I  assert  proceeds  from  the  sentiments  of  the  heart. 
However  superior  to  me  in  general  knowledge  and  experience 
|  any  one  here  may  be,  yet  I  claim  to  know  more  of  America, 
having  seen  and  been  more  conversant  in  that  country.  The 
people  there  are  as  truly  loyal  as  any  subjects  the  king  has ; 
but  a  people  jealous  of  their  liberties,  and  who  will  vindi 
cate  them  if  they  should  be  violated.  But  the  subject  is  deli 
cate  ;  I  will  say  no  more." 

While  the  colonel  delivered  this  extemporaneous  discourse, 
the  whole  house,  petrified  w»ith  surprise,  stared  at  him  as 
though  he  had  been  a  messenger  from  another  sphere. 

On  the  very  night  the  stamp  act  was  passed,  Dr.  Franklin, 
who  was  then  in  London,  wrote  to  Charles  Thompson,  after 
wards  Secretary  of  the  Continental  Congress ;  "  The  sun  of 
liberty  is  set ;  the  Americans  must  light  the  lamps  of  industry 
and  economy v'  To  which  Mr.  Thompson  answered ;  "  Be 
assured  we  shall  light  torches  of  quite  another  sort" 

The  determined  and  universal  opposition  to  the  stamp  act 
in  America,  soon  convinced  Parliament  that  it  must  either 
be  enforced  or  repealed.  The  King,  either  alarmed  or  not 
quite  tyrant  enough  yet  to  resort  to  force,  changed  his  min 
isters,  and  the  Marquis  of  Rockingham,  a  man  of  great 
vigour  and  genius  and  of  a  sincere  character,  was  appointed 
First  Lord  of  the  Treasury  in  place  of  Grenville. 

The  year  1765  approaching  its  conclusion,  the  parliament 
was  convoked.  But  meeting  again  in  January  1766,  the 
new  ministers,  passionately  desirous  of  obtaining  a  revoca 
tion  of  the  stamp  act,  made  every  exertion  to  accomplish 
this  great  object. 

In  addition  to  their  numerous  preparatives,  they  resolved 


200  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1766. 

to  employ  Benjamin  Franklin,  whose  great  reputation,  the 
candour  of  his  character,  the  services  rendered  to  his  coun 
try  and  the  world,  would  give  his  opinions  great  weight. 
The  galleries  were  crowded  to  hear  him  speak  on  this  en 
grossing  subject.  He  was  interrogated,  during  the  debates, 
in  the  presence  of  the  House  of  Commons.  He  answered 
with  gravity  and  perfect  composure. 

"  The  Americans,"  said  he,  "  already  pay  taxes  on  all 
estates,  real  and  personal ;  a  poll  tax ;  a  tax  on  all  offices, 
professions,  trades,  and  businesses,  according  to  their  profits  ; 
an  excise  on  all  wrine,  rum,  and  other  spirits ;  and  a  duty  of 
ten  pounds  per  head  on  all  negroes  imported ;  with  some 
other  duties.  The  assessments  upon  real  and  personal  estates 
amount  to  eighteen  pence  in  the  pound ;  and  those  upon  the 
profits  of  employment,  to  half  a  crown.  The  colonies  could 
not  in  any  way  pay  the  stamp  duty ;  there  is  not  gold  and 
silver  enough  in  all  the  colonies  to  pay  the  stamp  duty  even 
for  one  year.  The  Germans  [and  Swiss]  who  inhabit  Penn 
sylvania  [and  who  converted  Penn's  woods  into  a  garden]  are 
more  dissatisfied  with  this  duty  than  the  native  colonists 
themselves.  The  Americans,  since  the  new  laws,  have  abated 
much  of  their  affection  for  Great  Britain,  and  of  their  respect 
for  parliament.  There  exists  a  great  difference  between  in 
ternal  and  external  duties ;  duties  laid  on  commodities  im 
ported  have  no  other  effect  than  to  raise  the  price  of  these 
articles  in  the  American  market ;  they  make,  in  fact,  a  part 
of  this  price ;  but  it  is  optional  with  the  people  either  to  buy 
them  or  not,  and  consequently  to  pay  the  duty  or  not.  But 
an  internal  tax  is  forced  from  the  people  without  their  own 
consent,  if  not  laid  by  their  own  representatives.  The  stamp 
act  says,  we  shall  have  no  commerce,  make  no  exchange  of 
property  with  each  other,  neither  purchase,  nor  grant,  nor 
recover  debts,  we  shall  neither  marry,  nor  make  our  wills, 
unless  we  pay  such  and  such  sums ;  and  thus  it  is  intended 
to  extort  our  money  from  us,  or  ruin  us  by  the  consequences 
of  refusing  to  pay  it.  The  American  colonists  could,  in  a 
short  time,  find  in  their  own  manufactures  the  means  of  suf 
ficing  to  themselves.  The  repeal  of  the  stamp  act  would 


REVOLUTION .  20 1 


restore  tranquillity,  and  things  would  resume  their  pristine 
course." 

This  speech  was  a  powerful  support  to  the  new  ministers ; 
but  the  advocates  of  the  unjust  law  collected  all  their  strength 
to  oppose  its  repeal.  After  a  long  and  warm  debate,  and 
when  the  period  of  a  decision  was  drawing  near,  George 
Grenville,  who,  when  prime  minister,  had  first  proposed  the 
stamp  act  in  parliament,  arose  and  spoke  as  follows  : 

"  If  I  could  persuade  myself  that  the  pride  of  opinion,  the 
spirit  of  party,  or  the  affection  which  man  usually  bears  to 
things  done  by  himself,  had  so  fascinated  my  intellectual 
sight  and  biassed  the  faculties  of  my  mind,  as  to  deprive  me 
of  all  power  to  see  and  distinguish  that  which  is  manifest,  I 
certainly,  on  this  occasion,  should  have  entrenched  myself  in 
silence,  and  thus  displayed,  if  not  my  zeal  for  the  public  ser 
vice,  at  least  my  prudence  and  discretion.  But,  as  the  affair 
now  before  us  has  been  the  subject  of  my  most  attentive  con 
sideration,  and  of  my  most  deliberate  reflection,  at  the  period 
when  the  general  tranquillity  was  uninterrupted  by  scanda 
lous  excesses  ;  and  as  from  a  contingency  for  which  I  claim 
no  merit,  it  appears  that  to  my  honour  and  reputation  the 
honour  and  dignity  of  the  kingdom  are  attached,  my  prudence 
might  be  reputed  coldness,  and  my  discretion  a  base  de 
sertion. 

"But  where  is  the  public,  where  is  the  private  man,  what 
ever  may  be  his  moderation,  who  is  not  roused  at  the  present 
dangers  which  so  imminently  threaten  the  safety  of  our 
country  ?  Who  does  not  put  forth  all  his  strength  to  avert 
them  ?  And  who  can  help  indulging  the  most  sinister  anti 
cipation,  in  contemplating  the  new  counsels  and  fatal  inac 
tivity  of  the  present  servants  of  the  crown  ?  A  solemn  law 
has  been  enacted  in  parliament,  already  a  year  since.  It 
was,  and  still  is,  the  duty  of  ministers  to  carry  it  into  effect. 
The  constitution  declares,  that  to  suspend  a  law,  or  the  exe 
cution  of  a  law,  by  royal  authority,  and  without  consent  of 
parliament,  is  felony  ;  in  defiance  of  which,  this  law  has  been 
suspended — has  been  openly  resisted — but  did  I  say  resisted  ? 
Your  delegates  are  insulted,  their  houses  are  pillaged  ;  even 

26 


202  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1766. 

their  persons  are  not  secure  from  violence ;  and,  as  if  to  pro 
voke  your  patience,  you  are  mocked  and  braved  under  the 
mouths  of  your  artillery.  Your  ears  are  assailed  from  every 
quarter  with  protestations  that  obedience  cannot,  shall  not, 
ought  not  to  be  rendered  to  your  decrees.  Perhaps  other 
ministers,  more  old-fashioned,  would  have  thought  it  their 
duty,  in  such  a  case,  to  lend  the  law  the  aid  of  force ;  thus 
maintaining  the  dignity  of  the  crown,  and  the  authority  of 
your  deliberations.  But  those  young  gentlemen  who  sit  on 
the  opposite  benches,  and  no  one  knows  how,  look  upon  these 
principles  as  the  antiquated  maxims  of  our  simple  ancestors, 
and  disdain  to  honour  with  their  attention  mere  acts  of  riot, 
sedition,  and  open  resistance.  With  a  patience  truly  exem 
plary,  they  recommend  to  the  governors  lenity  and  modera 
tion  ;  they  grant  them  permission  to  call  in  the  aid  of  three 
or  four  soldiers  from  General  Gage,  and  as  many  cock-boats 
from  Lord  Colvil ;  they  commend  them  for  not  having  em 
ployed,  to  carry  the  law  into  effect,  the  means  which  had 
been  placed  in  their  hands.  Be  prepared  to  see  that  the  se 
ditious  are  in  the  right,  and  that  we  only  are  in  fault ;  such, 
assuredly,  is  the  opinion  of  the  ministers.  And  who  could 
doubt  it  ?  They  have  declared  themselves,  they  incessantly 
repeat  it  in  your  presence.  It  is  but  too  apparent  that,  much 
against  their  will,  they  have  at  length  laid  before  you  the 
disorders  and  audacious  enormities  of  the  Americans  ;  for 
they  began  in  July,  and  now  we  are  in  the  middle  of  Janu 
ary  ;  lately,  they  wrere  only  occurrences — they  are  now  grown 
to  disturbances,  tumults  and  riots.  I  doubt  they  border  on 
open  rebellion ;  and  if  the  doctrine  I  have  heard  this  day  be 
confirmed,  I  fear  they  will  lose  that  name,  to  take  that  of 
revolution.  May  Heaven  bless  the  admirable  resignation  of 
our  ministers  ;  but  I  much  fear  we  shall  gather  no  fruits  from 
it  of  an  agreeable  relish.  Occasion  is  fleeting,  the  danger  is 
urgent ;  and  this  undisciplinable  people,  the  amiable  object 
of  their  fond  solicitude,  of  their  tender  care,  are  forming 
leagues,  are  weaving  conspiracies,  are  preparing  to  resist  the 
orders  of  the  king  and  of  the  parliament.  Continue  then,  ye 
men  of  long  suffering,  to  march  in  the  way  you  have  chosen  ; 


1766.]  REVOLUTION.  203 

even  repeal  the  law ;  and  see  how  many  agents  you  will  find 
zealous  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty,  in  executing  the  laws 
of  the  kingdom,  in  augmenting  the  revenues  and  diminishing 
the  burthens  of  your  people  ;  see,  also,  how  many  ministers 
you  will  find,  who,  for  the  public  service,  will  oppose  a  noble 
and  invincible  firmness  against  the  cabals  of  malignity, 
against  the  powerful  combination  of  all  private  interests, 
against  the  clamours  of  the  multitude,  and  the  perversity  of 
faction.  In  a  word,  if  you  would  shiver  all  the  springs  of 
government,  repeal  the  law. 

"I  hear  it  asserted,  from  every  quarter,  by  these  defenders 
of  the  colonists,  that  they  cannot  be  taxed  by  authority  of 
Parliament,  because  they  are  not  there  represented.  But  if 
so,  why,  and  by  what  authority,  do  you  legislate  for  them  at 
all  ?  If  they  are  represented,  they  ought  to  obey  all  laws  of 
Parliament,  whatsoever,  whether  of  the  nature  of  taxes,  or 
any  other,  whatever.  If  they  are  not,  they  ought  neither  to 
submit  to  tax  laws,  nor  to  any  other.  And  if  you  believe  the 
colonists  ought  not  to  be  taxed,  by  authority  of  Parliament, 
from  defect  of  representation,  how  will  you  maintain  that 
nine-tenths  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  kingdom,  no  better 
represented  than  the  colonists,  ought  to  submit  to  your  taxa 
tion?  The  Americans  have  taken  a  hostile  attitude  towards 
the  mother  country,  and  you  would  not  only  forgive  their 
errors,  dissemble  their  outrages,  remit  the  punishment  due, 
but  surrender  at  discretion,  and  acknowledge  their  victory 
complete !  Is  this  preventing  popular  commotions  ?  Is  this 
repressing  tumults  and  rebellion  ?  Is  it  not  rather  to  foment 
them,  to  encourage  them  to  supply  fresh  fuel  to  the  conflagra 
tion  ?  Let  any  man,  not  blinded  by  the  spirit  of  party,  judge 
and  pronounce.  I  would  freely  listen  to  the  counsels  of  clem 
ency,  I  would  even  consent  to  the  abrogation  of  the  law,  if 
the  Americans  had  requested  it  in  a  decent  mode;[!]  but 
their  modes  are  .outrages,  derision,  and  the  ways  of  force ; 
pillage,  plunder,  arms,  and  open  resistance  to  the  will  of  gov 
ernment.  It  is  a  thing  truly  inadmissible,  and  altogether 
new,  that,  at  any  moment,  whenever  the  fancy  may  take 
them,  or  the  name  of  a  law  shall  happen  to  displease  them, 


204  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1766. 


these  men  should  at  once  set  about  starving  our  manufacturers, 
and  refuse  to  pay  what  they  owe  to  the  subjects  of  Great 
Britain.  The  officers  of  the  crown,  in  America,  have  repeat 
edly  solicited,  and  earnestly  entreated,  the  ministers  to  fur 
nish  them  with  proper  means  to  carry  the  law  into  effect ; 
but  the  latter  have  disregarded  their  instances ;  and,  by  this 
negligence,  the  American  tumults  have  taken  the  alarming 
character  we  see.  And  shall  we  now  suffer  the  ministers  to 
come  and  allege  the  effects  of  their  own  neglect,  to  induce  us 
to  sacrifice  the  best  interests  of  this  kingdom,  the  majesty, 
the  power,  and  even  the  reputation  of  the  government,  to  an 
evil,  overgrown  indeed,  but  not  past  cure,  the  moment  a  suit 
able  resolution  is  demonstrated  to  bring  this  infatuated  mul 
titude  to  a  sense  of  duty  ?  But  again,  if  the  colonists  are 
exempted,  by  their  constitutions,  from  parliamentary  taxes, 
as  levies  of  seamen  have  been  either  prohibited  or  restricted 
in  America,  by  different  acts  of  Parliament,  it  follows,  of 
necessity,  that  they  are  not  bound  either  to  furnish  men  for 
the  defence  of  the  common  country,  or  money  to  pay  them ; 
and  that  England,  alone,  must  support  the  burthen  of  the 
maintenance  and  protection  of  these,  her  ungrateful  children. 
If  such  a  partiality  should  be  established,  it  must  be  at  the 
hazard  of  depopulating  this  kingdom,  and  of  dissolving  that 
original  compact  upon  which  all  human  societies  repose. 

"  But  I  hear  these  subtle  doctors  attempting  to  inculcate  a 
fantastical  distinction  between  external  and  internal  taxes, 
as  if  they  were  not  the  same  as  to  the  effect — that  of  taking 
money  from  the  subjects  for  the  public  service.  Wherefore, 
then,  these  new  counsels  ?  When  I  proposed  to  tax  America, 
I  asked  the  house  if  any  gentleman  would  object  to  the  right  ? 
I  repeatedly  asked  it ;  and  no  man  would  attempt  to  deny  it. 
And  tell  me  when  the  Americans  were  emancipated.  When 
they  want  the  protection  of  this  kingdom,  they  are  always 
very  ready  to  ask  it.  This  protection  ha.s  always  been  af 
forded  them  in  the  most  full  and  ample  manner ;  and  now 
they  refuse  to  contribute  their  mite  towards  the  public  ex 
penses.  For,  let  not  gentlemen  deceive  themselves  with 
regard  to  the  rigour  of  the  tax ;  it  would  not  suffice  even  for 


;76t>.]  REVOLUTION.  205 


the  necessaiy  expenses  of  the  troops  stationed  in  America; 
but  a  peppercorn  in  acknowledgment  of  the  right,  is  of  more 
value  than  millions  without.  Yet,  notwithstanding  the 
slightness  of  the  tax,  and  the  urgency  of  our  situation,  the 
Americans  grow  sullen,  and  instead  of  concurring  in  expenses 
arising  from  themselves,  they  renounce  jrour  authority,  insult 
your  officers,  and  break  out,  I  might  almost  say,  into  open 
rebellion. 

"  There  has  been  a  time  when  they  would  not  have  pro 
ceeded  thus ;  but  they  are  now  supported  by  ministers  more 
American  than  English.  Already,  by  the  artifice  of  these 
young  gentlemen,  inflammatory  petitions  are  handed  about 
against  us,  and  in  their  favour.  Even  within  this  house, 
even  in  this  sanctuary  of  the  laws,  sedition  has  found  its  de 
fenders.  Resistance  to  the  laws  is  applauded,  obstinacy 
encouraged,  disobedience  extolled,  rebellion  pronounced  a 
virtue  !  Oh,  more  than  juvenile  imprudence  !  Oh,  blind  am 
bition  of  the  human  mind  !  But  you  give  a  fatal  example ; 
you  will  soon  have  ample  cause  to  repent  your  own  work. 

'•And  thou,  ungrateful  people  of  America,  is  this  the  return 
for  the  cares  and  fondness  of  thy  ancient  mother  ?  [A  step 
mother,  I  presume  !]  When  I  had  the  honour  of  serving  the 
crown,  while  you  yourselves  were  loaded  with  an  enormous 
debt,  you  have  given  bounties  on  their  lumber,  on  their  iron 
their  hemp,  and  many  other  articles.  You  have  relaxed,  in 
their  favour,  the  act  of  navigation,  that  palladium  of  the 
British  commerce;  and  yet  I  have  been  abused,  in  all  the 
public  papers,  as  an  enemy  to  the  trade  of  America.  I  have 
been  charged  with  giving  orders  and  instructions  to  prevent 
the  Spanish  trade.  I  discouraged  no  trade  but  what  was 
illicit,  wrhat  was  prohibited  by  act  of  Parliament. 

'-  But  it  is  meant  first  to  calumniate  the  man,  and  then  de 
stroy  his  work.  Of  myself,  I  will  speak  no  more ;  and  the 
substance  of  my  decided  opinion  upon  the  subject  of  our  de 
bates  is  briefly  this :  let  the  stamp  act  be  maintained ;  and 
let  the  governors  of  the  American  provinces  be  provided  with 
suitable  means  to  repress  disorders,  and  carry  the  law  into 
complete  effect." 


206  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1766. 


Thus  spoke  the  advocates  of  royal  power  in  opposition  to 
the  people's  rights;  esteeming  extortion  and  oppression  as 
fundamental  maxims  of  just  government ;  regarding  the 
honest  indignation  of  an  injured  people  as  the  ebullition  of 
an  "  infatuated  multitude,"  and  ridiculing  the  dawn  of  free 
dom,  that  immortal  spirit  of  light  and  truth,  that  with  a 
mighty  blaze  soon  burst  over  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
land,  and  which  is  destined  to  liberate  a  world  from  the 
thraldom  of  ages. 

No  sooner  had  Mr.  Grenville  taken  his  seat  than  Mr.  Pitt, 
venerable  for  his  age  and  for  the  many  services  rendered  to 
his  country,  the  invariable  friend  of  liberty  and  equal  rights, 
rose  and  replied  to  his  sophistry. 

"  I  know  not  whether  I  ought  most  to  rejoice,  that  the 
infirmities  which  have  been  wasting,  for  so  long  a  time,  a 
body  already  bowed  by  the  weight  of  years,  of  late  suspend 
ing  their  ordinary  violence,  should  have  allowed  me,  this  day, 
to  behold  these  walls  and  to  discuss,  in  the  presence  of  this 
august  assembly,  a  subject  of  such  high  importance,  and 
which  so  nearly  concerns  the  safety  of  our  country ;  or  to 
grieve  at  the  rigour  of  destiny,  in  contemplating  this  country, 
which,  within  a  few  years,  had  arrived  at  such  a  pinnacle  ol 
splendour  and  majesty,  and  become  formidable  to  the  uni 
verse  from  the  immensity  of  its  power,  now  wasted  by  an 
intestine  evil,  a  prey  to  civil  discords,  and  madly  hastening 
to  the  brink  of  the  abyss,  into  which  the  united  force  of  the 
most  powerful  nations  of  Europe  struggled  in  vain  to  plunge 
it.  Would  to  heaven  that  my  health  had  permitted  my 
attendance  here,  when  it  wae  first  proposed  to  tax  America 
If  my  feeble  voice  should  not  have  been  able  to  avert  the  tor 
rent  of  calamities  which  has  fallen  upon  us,  and  the  tempest 
which  threatens  us,  at  least  my  testimony  would  have  attestec 
that  I  had  no  part  in  them. 

"  It  is  now  an  act  that  has  passed ;  I  would  speak  with 
decency  of  every  act  of  this  house,  but  I  must  beg  the  indul- 

Igence  of  the  house  to  speak  of  it  with  freedom.  Assuredly, 
a  more  important  subject  never  engaged  your  attention,  that 
subject  only  excepted,  when,  near  a  century  ago,  it  was  the 


1766.]  REVOLUTION.  207 


question  whether  you  yourselves  were  to  be  bond  or  free. 
Those  who  have  spoken  before  me  with  so  much  vehemence, 
would  maintain  the  act  because  our  honour  demands  it.  If 
gentlemen  consider  the  subject  in  that  light,  they  leave  all 
measures  of  right  and  wrong  to  follow  a  delusion  that  may 
lead  to  destruction.  But  can  the  point  of  honour  stand  op 
posed  against  justice,  against  reason,  against  right  ?  Wherein 
can  honour  better  consist  than  in  doing  reasonable  things  ? 
It  is  my  opinion  that  England  has  no  right  to  tax  the  colonies. 
At  the  same  time,  I  assert  the  authority  of  this  kingdom  over 
the  colonies  to  be  sovereign  and  supreme,  in  every  circum 
stance  of  government  and  legislation  whatsoever.  The  colo 
nists  are  the  subjects  of  this  kingdom,  equally  entitled  with 
yourselves  to  all  the  natural  rights  of  mankind,  and  the  pe 
culiar  privileges  of  Englishmen ;  equally  bound  by  its  laws, 
and  equally  participating  of  the  constitution  of  this  free 
country.  The  Americans  are  the  sons,  not  the  bastards,  of 
England.  Taxation  is  no  part  of  the  governing  or  legislative 
power.  The  taxes  are  a  voluntary  gift  and  grant  of  the 
commons  alone.  In  legislation,  the  three  estates  of  the  realm 
are  alike  concerned ;  but  the  concurrence  of  the  peers  and 
the  crown  to  a  tax,  is  only  necessary  to  close  with  the  form 
of  a  law :  the  gift  and  grant  is  of  the  commons  alone ;  now 
this  house  represents  the  commons,  as  they  virtually  repre 
sent  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants ;  when,  therefore,  in  this 
house,  we  give  and  grant,  we  give  and  grant  what  is  our 
own.  But  in  an  American  tax,  what  do  we  do  1  We,  your 
majesty's  commons  of  Great  Britain,  give  and  grant  to  your 
majesty,  what  ?  Our  own  property  ?  No.  We  give  and 
grant  to  your  majesty  the  property  of  your  commons  of 
America,  It  is  an  absurdity  in  terms.  It  was  just  now 
affirmed,  that  no  difference  exists  between  internal  and  exter 
nal  taxes,  and  that  taxation  is  an  essential  part  of  legislation. 
Are  not  the  crown  and  the  peers  equally  legislative  powers 
with  the  commons  1  If  taxation  be  a  part  of  simple  legisla 
tion,  the  crown,  the  peers,  have  rights  in  taxation  as  well  as 
yourselves ;  rights  which  they  will  claim,  which  they  will 
exercise,  whenever  the  principle  can  be  supported  by  power. 


208  THE    ARMY    AKD   NAVY.  [1766. 


"  There  is  an  idea  in  some,  that  the  Americans  are  vir 
tually  represented  in  this  house ;  but  I  would  fain  know  by 
what  province,  county,  city,  or  borough,  they  are  represented 
here  ?  No  doubt  by  some  province,  county,  city,  or  borough, 
never  seen  or  known  by  them  or  their  ancestors,  and  which 
they  never  will  see  or  know. 

"  The  commons  of  America,  represented  in  the  several  as 
semblies,  have  ever  been  in  possession  of  the  exercise  of  this, 
their  constitutional  right,  of  giving  and  granting  their  own 
money.  They  would  have  been  slaves  if  they  had  not  en 
joyed  it. 

"  I  come  not  here  armed  at  all  points  with  law-cases,  and 
acts  of  parliament,  with  the  statute  book  doubled  down  in 
dog's  eai-s,  as  my  valiant  adversary  has  done.  But  I  know, 
at  least,  if  we  are  to  take  examples  from  ancient  facts,  that, 
even  under  the  most  arbitrary  reigns,  Parliaments  were  ashamed 
of  taxing  a  people  without  their  consent,  and  allowed  them 
representatives ;  and  in  our  own  times,  even  those  wTho  send  no 
members  to  Parliament,  are  all,  at  least,  inhabitants  of  Great 
Britain.  Many  have  it  in  their  option  to  be  actually  repre 
sented.  They  have  connections  with  those  that  elect,  and 
they  have  influence  over  them.  Would  to  Heaven  that  all 
were  better  represented  than  they  are  !  It  is  the  vice  of  our 
constitution ;  perhaps  the  day  will  arrive,  and  I  rejoice  in  the 
hope.  wrhen  the  mode  of  representation,  this  essential  part  of 
our  civil  organization,  and  principal  safeguard  of  our  liberty, 
will  be  carried  to  that  perfection,  which  every  good  English 
man  must  desire. 

"  It  has  been  asked,  When  were  the  Americans  emanci 
pated  ?  But  I  desire  to  know  when  they  were  made  slaves  ? 

"  It  is  said,  that  in  this  house  the  signal  of  resistance  has 
been  given,  that  the  standard  of  rebellion  has  been  erected; 
and  thus  it  is  attempted  to  stigmatize  the  fairest  prerogative 
of  British  senators,  that  of  speaking  what  they  think,  and 
freely  discussing  the  interests  of  their  country.  They  have 
spoken  their  sentiments  with  freedom,  against  this  unhappy 
act ;  they  have  foreseen,  they  have  predicted  the  perils  that 
impend,  and  this  frankness  is  imputed  as  a  crime.  Sorry  I 


1766.]  REVOLUTION.  209 


am  to  observe,  that  we  can  no  longer  express  our  opinions  in 
this  house,  without  being  exposed  to  censure ;  we  must  pre 
pare  for  a  disastrous  futurity,  if  we  do  not  oppose,  cour 
ageously,  with  our  tongues,  our  hearts,  our  hands,  the  tyranny 
with  which  we  are  menaced.  I  hear  it  said  that  America 
is  obstinate,  America  is  almost  in  open  rebellion.  /  rejoice 
that  America  has  RESISTED.  Three  millions  of  people,  so  dead 
to  all  the  feelings  of  liberty,  as  voluntarily  to  submit  to  be 
slaves,  would  have  been  fit  instruments  to  make  slaves  of  our 
selves.  The  honourable  member  has  said  also — for  he  is  fluent 
in  words  of  bitterness — that  America  is  ungrateful ;  he  boasts 
of  his  bounties  towards  her ;  but  are  not  these  bounties  in 
tended,  finally,  for  the  benefit  of  this  kingdom?  And  how  is 
it  true  that  America  is  ungrateful  ?  Does  she  not  voluntarily 
hold  a  good  correspondence  with  us  ?  The  profits  to  Great  Bri 
tain,  from  her  commerce  with  the  colonies,  are  2,000,000  pounds  a 
year.  This  is  the  fund  that  carried  you  triumphantly  through 
the  last  war.  The  estates  that  were  rented  at  2000  pounds 
a  year,  seventy  years  ago,  are  at  3000  pounds  at  present. 
You  owe  this  to  America.  This  is  the  price  she  pays  for  your 
protection.  I  omit  the  increase  of  population  in  the  colonies  ; 
the  migration  of  new  inhabitants  from  every  part  of  Europe  ; 
and  the  ulterior  progress  of  American  commerce,  should  it 
be  regulated  by  judicious  laws.  And  shall  we  hear  a  mise 
rable  financier  come  with  a  boast  that  he  can  fetch  a  pepper 
corn  into  the  exchequer,  to  the  loss  of  millions  to  the  nation  ? 
The  gentleman  complains  that  he  has  been  misrepresented 
in  the  public  prints.  I  can  only  say  it  is  a  misfortune 
common  to  all  that  fill  high  stations,  and  take  a  leading  part 
in  public  affairs.  He  says,  also,  that  when  he  first  asserted 
the  right  of  Parliament  to  tax  America,  he  was  not  contra 
dicted.  I  know  not  how  it  is,  but  there  is  a  modesty  in  this 
house,  which  does  not  choose  to  contradict  a  minister.  If 
gentlemen  do  not  get  the  better  of  this  modesty,  perhaps  the 
collective  body  may  begin  to  abate  of  its  respect  for  the  re 
presentative.  A  great  deal  has  been  said  without  doors,  and 
more  than  is  discreet,  of  the  power,  of  the  strength  of  Ame 
rica.  But,  in  a  good  cause,  on  a  sound  bottom,  the  force  of 

27  "  s* 


210  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1766-7. 


this  country  can  crush  America  to  atoms ;  but,  on  the  ground 
of  this  tax,  when  it  is  wished  to  prosecute  an  evident  injustice, 
I  am  one  who  will  lift  my  hands  and  voice  against  it. 

"  In  such  a  cause,  your  success  would  be  deplorable,  and 
victory  hazardous.  America,  if  she  fell,  would  fall  like  the 
strong  man.  She  would  embrace  the  pillars  of  the  state,  and 
pull  down  the  constitution  along  with  her.  Is  this  your 
boasted  peace  ?  not  to  sheathe  the  sword  in  its  scabbard,  but 
to  sheathe  it  in  the  bowels  of  your  countrymen  ?  Will  you 
quarrel  with  yourselves,  now  the  whole  house  of  Bourbon  is 
united  against  you  1  while  France  disturbs  your  fisheries  in 
Newfoundland,  embarrasses  your  slave-trade  with  Africa,  and 
withholds  from  your  subjects  in  Canada  their  property  stipu 
lated  by  treaty?  while  the  ransom  for  the  Manillas  is  de 
nied  by  Spain,  and  its  gallant  conqueror  traduced  into  a  mean 
plunderer  1  The  Americans  have  not  acted  in  all  things  with 
prudence  and  temper.  They  have  been  wronged.  They 
have  been  driven  to  madness  by  injustice.  Will  you  punish 
them  for  the  madness  you  have  occasioned?  Rather  let 
prudence  and  benignity  come  first  from  the  strongest  side. 
Excuse  their  errors,  learn  to  honour  their  virtues.  Upon  the 
whole,  I  will  beg  leave  to  tell  the  house  what  is  really  my 
opinion.  I  consider  it  most  consistent  with  our  dignity,  most 
useful  to  our  liberty,  and  in  every  respect  the  safest  for  this 
kingdom,  that  the  stamp  act  be  repealed,  absolutely,  totally, 
and  immediately.  At  the  same  time,  let  the  sovereign  autho 
rity  of  this  country  over  the  colonies  be  asserted  in  as  strong 
terms  as  can  be  devised,  and  be  made  to  extend  to  every 
point  of  legislation  whatsoever ;  that  we  may  bind  their  trade, 
confine  their  manufactures,  and  exercise  every  power  what 
soever,  except  that  of  taking  their  money  out  of  their  pockets 
without  their  consent." 

These  words,  from  a  man  of  such  great  authority,  produced 
a  powerful  effect  upon  the  minds  of  his  hearers ;  and  the  ques 
tion  being  put,  on  the  22d  of  February,  the  repeal  of  the 
stamp  act  was  carried.  Accompanying  the  repealing  act, 
was  a  declaratory  act,  the  language  of  which  was,  "  that 
Parliament  have,  and  of  right  ought  to  have,  power  to  bind  the 


1766-9.]  REVOLUTION.  211 


colonies  in  all  cases  whatsoever.1'  The  news  of  the  revocation 
of  the  stamp  act  was  received  in  America  with  indescribable 
joy  and  exultation,  and  Pitt  became  the  object  of  boundless 
praises,  although  he  had,  in  strong  terms,  advocated  the 
authority  of  Parliament  over  the  colonies ;  they  believed  this 
was  intended  merely  to  soothe  British  pride  and  heal  its 
wounded  dignity. 

The  king,  who  had  very  reluctantly  consented  to  the  repeal 
of  the  stamp  act,  still  cherished  the  favourite  scheme  of  tax 
ation.  Another  change  of  ministry  took  place.  The  Duke 
of  Grafton  was  appointed  first  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in 
the  place  of  the  Marquis  of  Rockingham ;  the  Earl  of  She- 
burne,  Secretary  of  State ;  Charles  Townsend,  Chancellor  of 
the  Exchequer,  and,  finally,  William  Pitt,  now  Earl  of  Chat 
ham,  was  promoted  to  the  charge  of  Keeper  of  the  Seals. 

In  1767,  a  bill  passed  the  Parliament  to  impose  certain 
duties  on  tea,  glass,  and  paints,  brought  into  the  colonies, 
Pitt  being  absent  from  indisposition.  The  duties  were  but 
small,  but  the  Americans  justly  regarded  them  as  small 
wedges,  designed  to  make  room  for  others  much  greater  and 
heavier.  This  act,  therefore,  with  some  others  equally  unjust 
and  dangerous,  again  spread  alarm  through  the  colonies,  and 
produced  resolves,  petitions,  addresses,  remonstrances,  and 
associations  similar  to  those  elicited  by  the  stamp  act.  This 
determined  opposition  led  the  government  to  adopt  the  most 
rigorous  measures  against  the  colonies,  and  especially  Massa 
chusetts,  where  that  opposition  had  taken  the  deepest  root. 

In  1769  Parliament  approved  that  the  king  should  employ 
force  of  arms  to  repress  the  disobedient  of  that  province,  de 
claring  at  the  same  time,  that  he  had  the  right  to  cause  the 
leaders  of  the  disorders  to  be  brought  to  England  for  trial, 
and  requesting  him  to  give  orders  to  the  Governor  of  Massa 
chusetts  to  put  this  measure  into  execution. 

A  greater  outrage  could  not  well  be  committed  than  to  seize 
and  tear  a  man  from  his  country  for  supporting  his  rights, 
to  be  sacrificed  by  a  jury  of  bigoted,  prejudiced  strangers. 
The  colonial  assemblies  passed  resolutions,  the  strongest 
that  could  be  devised,  to  arrest  British  aggression  and  secure 


212  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1769-70. 

their  rights.  The  king,  at  the  same  time,  was  conjured,  as 
the  father  of  his  subjects,  to  interpose  his  royal  intercession, 
and  prevent  men  from  being  "  forced  from  their  firesides, 
wrested  from  the  embraces  of  their  families,  and  thrust  into 
dungeons,  among  robbers  and  felons,  at  the  distance  of  three 
thousand  miles  from  their  country,  to  linger  until  judges, 
whom  they  knew  not,  should  have  pronounced  their  fate." 
|  Pursuing  such  a  course,  the  Assembly  of  Virginia  was  dis 
solved,  by  the  governor,  with  a  severe  reprimand.  The  As 
sembly  of  North  Carolina  was  dissolved  by  the  governor  of 
that  province  for  the  same  reason. 

The  British  government,  not  yet  satiated  with  acts  of  the 
!  most  disgraceful  character  that  ever  stained  the  honour  of 
|  an  enlightened  nation,  sent  a  corrupt  soldiery  from  Halifax 
\  to  be  stationed  among  the  honest  and  high-minded  people  of 
|  Boston,  and  to  keep  them  in  subjection.  This  converted  all 
j  Boston  into  a  kind  of  volcano  on  the  point  of  eruption.  The 
[  deep  thunders  of  indignation  convulsed  the  town  and  spread 
the  signal  of  alarm  over  the  colonies. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  March,  1770,  a  quarrel  took 
place  between  a  soldier  and  a  rope-maker.  The  former,  after 
a  severe  beating,  soon  returned  with  several  of  his  comrades, 
when  a  fight  ensued  between  the  soldiers  and  the  rope-makers, 
in  which  the  latter  were  beaten. 

Such  conduct  in  foreign  troops,  regarded  as  instruments  of 
tyranny,  and  against  whom  an  inveterate  hatred  already  ex 
isted,  exasperated  the  people;  and  on  the  5th,  between  seven 
and  eight  o'clock,  a  violent  tumult  broke  out.  The  people, 
armed  with  clubs,  rushed  a  living  torrent  into  King  street, 
with  loud  cries,  "Let  us  drive  out  these  ribalds ;  they  have 
no  business  here."  The  soldiers,  who  were  mere  hirelings 
of  the  king,  and  whose  ideas  of  justice  and  humanity,  proba 
bly,  seldom  extended  beyond  the  points  of  their  bayonets, 
were  eager  to  fall  upon  and  murder  the  populace ;  and  their 
officers,  who  at  first  restrained  them,  did  so  with  the  great 
est  difficulty.  Cries  of  fire !  fire !  fire  !  to  arms  !  to  arms  ! 
were  heard  through  the  town ;  men  were  running  through 
the  streets ;  the  dog  rushes  from  his  lair  baying  forth  his 


1 770-3.  J  REVOLUTION.  213 


deep-throated  warnings  ;  the  solemn  peals  of  the  bells  fall 
upon  the  startled  ear  and  arouse  fearful  commotions  in  the 
breasts  of  men.  The  sound  of  fire !  fire !  fire !  again  echoed 
through  the  town,  and  stirred  the  souls  of  men  to  acts  of  dar 
ing;  the  people  rush  furiously  onward,  they  approach  the 
sentinel  at  the  custom-house,  crying,  "  kill  him !  kill  him !" 
They  pelted  him  with  snow-balls,  stones,  pieces  of  ice,  or 
whatever  else  they  could  lay  their  hands  upon.  The  guard 
were  quickly  called,  who  marched  with  arms  loaded,  their 
captain  following  them.  The  torrent  of  invective,  the  rage 
of  the  people,  multitudes  of  whom  crowded  around  the  sol 
diers,  to  the  points  of  the  bayonets,  uttering  fierce  cries,  me 
naces,  and  dreadful  imprecations ;  the  continued  solemn  peals 
of  the  alarm-bells — all  conspired  to  fill  the  soldiers  with  awe ; 
and  they  stood  like  statues,  riveted  to  the  spot  in  silent  horror. 

Several  thousand  people  had  assembled.  They  rush  upon 
the  soldiers,  some  of  whom  are  ordered  to  fire.  Three  men 
are  killed  and  five  wounded.  Lieut. -Governor  Hutchinson, 
interfering,  asked  Captain  Preston  in  a  menacing  manner, 
"  Why  have  you  fired  without  the  orders  of  the  civil  magistrate  ?" 
He  answered,  "  We  have  been  insulted"  The  governor  then 
persuaded  the  people  to  disperse,  by  a  promise  that  the  affair 
should  be  settled  to  their  satisfaction.  Captain  Preston  was 
committed  to  prison  with  some  of  his  soldiers.  Upon  the 
trial,  the  captain  and  six  soldiers  were  acquitted,  and  two 
convicted  of  manslaughter.  The  anniversary  of  this  evening 
was  for  several  years  commemorated  by  the  citizens  of  Bos 
ton,  when  patriotic  speeches  were  delivered  to  awaken  and 
perpetuate  the  spirit  of  revolution. 

The  resolutions  of  the  meetings  and  associations  in  Ame 
rica,  to  suspend  the  importation  of  tea,  had  occasioned  the 
vast  quantity  of  seventeen  millions  of  pounds  to  accumulate 
upon  the  hands  of  the  East  India  Company.  Both  the  Bri 
tish  ministry  and  the  company  were  deeply  interested ;  the 
one  desirous  of  obtaining  the  expected  revenue  from  the  sale 
of  the  tea,  the  other,  the  usual  commercial  profits.  They 
cunningly  devised  a  scheme  which  they  thought  would  fill 
the  coffers  of  the  one  and  the  pockets  of  the  other. 


214  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1773. 

The  company  was  by  law  authorized  to  export  tea  free  of 
I  duty,  and  as  this  duty  had  been  greater  than  that  to  be  paid 
on  its  importation  into  the  colonies,  (which  had  been  reduced 
to  three  pence  on  the  pound),  the  tea  would  be  cheaper  than 
I  before  the  exceptionable  duty  was  laid.  They  had  no  doubt 
but  that,  as  the  tea  had,  in  a  measure,  become  one  of  the 
necessaries  of  life,  the  colonists  would  be  eager  to  buy ;  and 
the  vessels  came  groaning  with  their  loads  of  tea  across  the 
ocean  to  the  principal  harbours  of  this  country.  The  colo 
nists,  awake  to  their  interests,  resolved  not  to  pay  even  three 
pence  as  a  duty ;  for  that  would  be  a  recognition  of  a  law  by 
which  they  were  taxed  against  their  will ;  and  the  principle 
once  established,  would  soon  subject  them  to  all  the  oppres 
sion  against  which  they  had  so  long  and  so  nobly  contended. 

Accordingly,  on  the  arrival  of  the  tea  at  Charleston,  the 
I  chests,  though  permitted  to  be  brought  to  shore,  were  thrown 
into  damp  cellars,  where  they  were  suffered  to  spoil.     Most 
I  of  the  ships  landing  at  New  York  and  Philadelphia  were 
obliged  to  return  with  their  whole  cargoes. 

At  Boston,  an  immense  meeting  assembled  at  Faneuii  Hall, 
when  it  was  resolved,  by  acclamation,  "that  the  tea  should 
not  be  landed ;  that  no  duty  should  be  paid ;  and  that  it  should 
be  sent  back  in  the  same  bottoms." 

The  captain,  alarmed,  would  have  cleared  for  England  ; 
but  the  governor  wanted  the  revenue,  or,  at  least,  the  English 
government  wanted  it,  and  the  governor  being  her  tool,  would 
not  depart  from  his  instructions ;  and,  to  keep  the  vessel  in 
port,  refused  the  clearance.  This  answer  being  reported  to 
the  meeting  at  Faneuii  Hall,  they  immediately  adjourned, 
and  repaired  to  the  wharf.  Some,  assuming  the  dress  of 
Mohawk  Indians,  went  on  board  of  the  vessels,  and  in  a  few 
hours  opened  and  emptied  342  chests  of  tea  into  the  harbour. 

The  Massachusetts  Gazette,  of  30th  November,  1773,  con 
tains  the  following  account  of  this  Boston ian  tea-party,  and 
the  last  meeting  held  in  that  place,  relative  to  the  anathema 
tized  weed : 

"  Just  before  the  dissolution  of  the  meeting,  a  number  of 
brave  and  resolute  men,  dressed  in  the  Indian  manner,  ap- 


1773.]  REVOLUTION.  215 


preached  near  the  door  of  the  Assembly,  and  gave  the  war- 
whoop,  which  rang  through  the  house,  and  was  answered  by 
some  in  the  galleries  ;  but  silence  was  commanded,  and  a 
peaceful  deportment  again  enjoined  till  the  dissolution.  The 
Indians,  as  they  were  then  called,  repaired  to  the  wharf 
where  the  ships  lay,  that  had  the  tea  on  board,  and  were 
followed  by  hundreds  of  people,  to  see  the  event  of  the  trans 
actions  of  those  who  made  so  grotesque  an  appearance.  They, 
the  Indians,  immediately  repaired  on  board  Captain  Hall's 
ship,  where  they  hoisted  out  the  chests  of  tea,  and,  when  on 
deck,  stove  the  chests  and  hove  the  tea  overboard.  Having 
cleared  this  ship,  they  proceeded  to  Captain  Bruce's,  and  then 
to  Captain  Coffin's  brig.  They  applied  themselves  so  dexter 
ously  to  the  destruction  of  this  commodity,  that  in  the  space 
of  three  hours,  they  broke  up  342  chests,  which  was  the 
whole  number  in  those  vessels,  and  discharged  their  contents 
into  the  dock.  When  the  tide  rose,  it  floated  the  broken 
chests  and  the  tea,  insomuch  that  the  surface  of  the  wrater 
was  filled  therewith,  a  considerable  way  from  the  south  part 
of  the  town  of  Dorchester  Neck,  and  lodged  on  the  shores. 
There  was  the  greatest  care  taken  to  prevent  the  tea  from  being 
purloined  by  the  populace.  One  or  two  being  detected  in 
endeavouring  to  pocket  a  small  quantity,  were  stripped  of 
their  acquisitions  and  very  roughly  handled.  *  *  *  The  town 
was  very  quiet  during  the  whole  evening  and  the  night  fol 
lowing.  Those  who  were  from  the  country  went  home,  and  the 
next  day  joy  appeared  in  almost  every  countenance — some,  on 
occasion  of  the  destruction  of  the  tea,  others,  on  account  of 
the  quietness  with  which  it  was  effected.  One  of  the  Mon 
day's  papers  says,  that  the  masters  and  owners  are  well  pleased 
that  the  ships  are  thus  cleared." 

In  the  memoirs  of  one  of  the  last  survivors  of  the  tea- 
party,  it  is  stated  that  John  Hancock  was  among  the  speak 
ers  ;  and  that  he  advanced  the  opinion  pretty  significantly, 
not  only  that  the  governor  had  absolutely  made  up  his  mind 
to  land  the  tea,  but  that,  as  things  now  were,  the  matter  must 
be  settled  before  twelve  o'clock  that  night ;  and  he  adds,  that 
one  of  the  last  things  he  heard  said,  in  the  final  excitement. 


216  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1774. 


was  Hancock's  cry,  "  Let  every  man  do  what  is  right  in  his 
own  eyes !"  Some  person  or  persons  in  the  galleries  at  this 
time  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  "  BOSTON  HARBOUR  A  TEA 
POT  THIS  NIGHT  ! — Hurra  for  Griffin's  Wharf!" 

The  news  of  these  proceedings  reaching  England,  and  be 
ing  communicated  in  a  message  from  the  throne,  March  7, 
1774,  the  frantic  rage  and  indignation  of  the  ministerial  party 
almost  made  them  fit  subjects  for  straight-jackets,  at  least  if 
we  have  any  confidence  in  restraint  to  cure  madness.  Their 
subsequent  proceedings  were  in  exact  accordance  with  this 
state  of  mind.  A  bill  was  passed  in  Parliament  to  shut  up 
Boston  as  a  port  of  entry,  and  remove  the  custom-house  to 
Salem;  another  soon  followed,  subverting  the  charter  and 
vesting  in  the  king  the  power  of  nominating  all  the  officers 
of  the  colony.  In  a  third  it  was  provided,  that  any  person 
indicted  for  a  capital  offence  might  be  sent  to  another  colony 
or  to  England  for  trial,  if  it  should  appear  to  the  governor 
that  a  fair  trial  could  not  be  had  in  that  province. 

When  these  acts  arrived,  the  town  of  Boston  passed  the 
following  vote,  of  which  copies  were  sent  to  the  other  colo 
nies  : — "  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  town,  that,  if  the  other 
colonies  come  into  a  joint  resolution  to  stop  all  importation 
from  Great  Britain  and  the  West  Indies,  till  the  act  for  block 
ing  up  this  harbour  be  repealed,  the  same  will  prove  the  sal 
vation  of  North  America  and  her  liberties." 

The  House  of  Burgesses  in  Virginia  being  in  sess  x>n,  ap 
pointed  the  1st  of  June,  1774,  the  day  when  the  "Boston  Port 
Bill"  was  to  take  effect,  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humiliation  and 
prayer.  The  example  was  followed  in  all  other  parts  of  the 
country.  On  such  a  day  the  people's  thoughts  would  natu 
rally  be  occupied  with  the  accumulated  wrongs  of  the  mother 
country ;  and,  independently  of  addressing  the  Arbiter  of 
nations  to  aid  them  in  the  righteous  cause  in  which  they 
were  about  to  engage,  they  would  prepare  to  do  their  part. 

Meetings  were  held  in  every  part  of  the  continent,  and 
letters  and  addresses  were  sent  to  Boston,  encouraging  the 
inhabitants  with  an  assurance  of  the  co-operation  and  sup 
port  of  her  sister  provinces. 


1774.]  REVOLUTION.  217 


In  the  mean  time,  measures  had  been  taken  to  elect  depu 
ties  to  represent  the  respective  provinces  in  a  Continental 
Congress.  On  the  4th  of  September,  deputies  from  eleven 
different  colonies  assembled  at  Philadelphia,  and  elected  for 
President,  Peyton  Randolph  of  Virginia,  and  Charles  Thom 
son,  Secretary. 

"  High  on  the  foremost  seat,  in  living  light, 
Resplendent  Randolph  caught  the  world's  full  sight. 
He  opes  the  cause,  and  points  in  prospect  far 
Through  all  the  toils  that  wait  impending  war : 
But,  reverend  sage !  thy  race  must  soon  be  o'er, 
To  lend  thy  lustre  and  to  shine  no  more. 
So  the  mild  morning  star,  from  shades  of  even, 
Leads  up  the  dawn  and  lights  the  front  of  heaven ; 
Pouits  to  the  waking  world  the  sun's  broad  way, 
Then  veils  his  own,  and  vaults  above  the  day." 

The  acts  of  this  patriotic  assembly  were,  to  vote  that  the 
contributions  already  made  to  relieve  Boston  should  be  con 
tinued  as  long  as  necessary ;  a  declaration  of  rights  and 
grievances ;  a  recommendation  to  the  merchants  to  stop  all 
imports  from  Great  Britain ;  a  letter  to  General  Gage,  then 
Governor  of  Massachusetts :  a  petition  to  the  king ;  an  ad 
dress  to  the  people  of  Great  Britain ;  one  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  colonies ;  and  one  to  the  people  of  Canada.  These 
were  all  masterly  compositions,  full  of  wisdom,  firmness 
and  patriotism;  exciting  the  admiration  of  the  greatest 
statesmen,  while  those  narrow-minded  bigots  of  England, 
who  had  been  accustomed  to  speak  of  the  wisdom  and  spirit 
of  the  colonists  with  profound  contempt,  were  almost  struck 
dumb  with  amazement.  In  less  than  eight  weeks  this  con 
gress  adjourned,  to  meet  again  on  the  10th  of  the  ensuing 
May,  unless  their  grievances  should  be  previously  redressed. 

A  part  of  the  address  of  the  Continental  Congress  to  the 
people  of  England,  will  serve  to  demonstrate  the  prevailing 
opinions,  the  ardent  feelings,  and  the  firm  resolve  under 
which  the  people  of  America  spoke  and  acted,  during  this 
epoch,  while  supporting  their  glorious  cause. 

"  When  a  nation,  led  to  greatness  by  the  hand  of  liberty, 
and  possessed  of  all  the  glory  that  heroism,  munificence,  and 

28  T 


218  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1774. 


humanity  can  bestow,  descends  to  the  ungrateful  task  of 
forging  chains  for  her  friends  and  children,  and  instead  of 
giving  support  to  freedom,  turns  advocate  for  slavery  and 
oppression,  there  is  reason  to  suspect  she  has  either  ceased  to 
be  virtuous,  or  been  extremely  negligent  in  the  appointment 
of  her  rulers. 

"  In  almost  every  age,  in  repeated  conflicts,  in  long  and 
bloody  wars,  as  well  civil  as  foreign,  against  many  and 
powerful  nations,  against  the  open  assaults  of  enemies,  and 
the  more  dangerous  treachery  of  friends,  have  the  inhabitants 
of  your  island,  your  great  and  glorious  ancestors,  maintained 
their  independence,  and  transmitted  the  rights  of  men,  and 
the  blessings  of  liberty,  to  you  their  posterity.  Be  not  sur 
prised,  therefore,  that  we,  who  are  descended  from  the  same 
common  ancestors ;  ( that  we,  whose  forefathers  participated 
in  all  the  rights,  the  liberties,  and  the  constitution  you  so 
justly  boast  of,  and  who  have  carefully  conveyed  the  same 
fair  inheritance  to  us,  guarantied  by  the  plighted  faith  of 
government,  and  the  most  solemn  compacts  with  British  sove 
reigns,  should  refuse  to  surrender  them  to  men  who  found 
their  claims  on  no  principles  of  reason,  and  who  prosecute  them 
with  a  design,  that  by  having  our  lives  and  property  in  their 
power,  they  may  with  the  greatest  facility  enslave  you.  The 
cause  of  America  is  now  the  object  of  universal  attention ;  it 
has,  at  length,  become  very  serious.  This  unhappy  country 
has  not  only  been  oppressed,  but  abused  and  misrepresented  ; 
and  the  duty  we  owe  to  ourselves  and  posterity,  to  your  in 
terest,  and  the  general  welfare  of  the  British  empire,  leads  us 
to  address  you  on  this  very  important  subject. 

"  Know,  then,  that  we  consider  ourselves,  and  do  insist 
that  we  are,  and  ought  to  be,  as  free  as  our  fellow-subjects  in 
Britain,  and  that  no  power  on  earth  has  .a  right  to  take  our 
property  from  us  without  our  consent.     That  we  shall  claim 
all  the  benefits  secured  to  the  subject  by  the  English  constitu 
tion,  and  particularly,  that  inestimable  one  of  trial  by  jury 
That  we  hold  it  essential  to  English  liberty,  that  no  man  be 
condemned  unheard,  or  punished  for  supposed  offences,  with 
out  having  an  opportunity  of  making  his  defence.     That  we 


1774.] 


REVOLUTION. 


219 


think  the  legislature  of  Great  Britain  is  not  authorized  by 
the  constitution  to  establish  a  religion  [in  Canada]  fraught 
with  sanguinary  and  impious  tenets,  or  to  erect  an  arbitrary 
form  of  government  in  any  quarter  of  the  globe." 

"  Admit,"  say  they,  in  another  place,  "  that  the  ministry, 
by  the  powers  of  Britain,  and  the  aid  of  our  Roman  Catholic 
neighbours,  should  be  able  to  carry  the  point  of  taxation,  and 
reduce  us  to  a  state  of  perfect  humiliation  and  slavery ;  such 
an  enterprise  would,  doubtless,  make  some  addition  to  your 
national  debt,  which  already  presses  down  your  liberties,  and 
fills  you  with  pensioners  and  placemen. 

********** 

"  We  believe  there  is  yet  much  virtue,  much  justice,  and 
much  public  spirit  in  the  English  nation.  To  that  justice  we 
now  appeal.  You  have  been  told  that  we  are  seditious,  im 
patient  of  government,  and  desirous  of  independency ;  but 
these  are  mere  calumnies.  Permit  us  to  be  as  free  as  your 
selves,  and  we  shall  ever  esteem  a  union  with  you  to  be  our 
greatest  glory  and  our  greatest  happiness.  But,  if  you  are 
determined  that  your  ministers  shall  wantonly  sport  with  the 
liberties  of  mankind;  if  neither  the  voice  of  justice,  the  dic 
tates  of  the  law,  the  principles  of  the  constitution,  or  the 
suggestions  of  humanity,  can  restrain  your  hands  from  shed 
ding  human  blood  in  such  an  impious  cause,  we  must  then  tell 
you,  that  wre  shall  never  submit  to  be  hewers  of  wood  or 
drawers  of  water  for  any  minister  or  nation  in  the  world." 

The  address  of  Congress  to  the  American  people  was  a 
statement  of  their  grievances;  a  proof  of  the  justice  of  their 
cause ;  well  calculated  to  confirm  them  in  their  resistance  to 
their  oppressors,  and  prepare  their  minds  for  the  worst.  They 
said  that,  "  the  schemes  agitated  against  the  colonies  have  been 
so  conducted  as  to  render  it  prudent  that  you  should  extend 
your  views  to  mournful  events,  and  be  in  all  respects  prepared 
for  every  contingency"  The  people  took  the  hint,  and  ex 
tended  their  views  to  mournful  events,  by  forming  themselves 
into  companies,  and  practising  military  discipline. 

The  Assembly  of  Massachusetts  met  at  Salem,  October  5, 
and  the  governor  withholding  the  light  of  his  countenance, 


220 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1774. 


they  adjourned  to  Concord,  where  they  formed  themselves 
into  a  provincial  Congress,  and  elected  John  Hancock  their 
president.  They  now  adjourned  to  Cambridge,  where  they 
drew  up  a  plan  to  defend  the  province,  by  preparing  muni 
tions  of  war,  filling  magazines  with  provisions,  enlisting  men, 
appointing  officers,  &c. 

This  provincial  Congress  met  again  in  November,  when  it 
was  resolved  that  12,000  men  should  be  raised  to  act  on  any 
emergency.  They  also  enrolled  one-fourth  part  of  the  mili 
tia,  whom  they  called  minute-men,  to  be  held  in  readiness  to 
march  at  a  minute's  notice.  A  t  the  same  time  the  neighbour 
ing  states  were  requested  to  increase  this  army  to  20,000 
men. 

All  these  resolutions,  both  of  the  Continental  Congress  and 
of  the  local  Assemblies,  were  approved  and  strictly  carried 
into  effect  by  the  people.  Their  meetings  and  union  of  their 
representatives  produced  a  liberal  interchange  of  ideas  be 
tween  the  remote  parts  of  the  colonies, — formed  a  moral  bond 
of  union, — produced  a  spirit  of  laudable  emulation,  and  im 
proved  the  moral,  political,  and  intellectual  condition  of  the 
whole  country.  The  principles  of  justice  and  honour  distin 
guished  all  the  acts  of  these  newly  constituted  authorities, 
the  agents  of  the  people,  who  now,  according  to  the  natural 
rights  of  man,  constituted  the  government. 

"  What  constitutes  a  state  ? 
Not  high-raised  battlements  or  labour'd  mounds, 

Thick  wall  or  moated  gate ; 
Not  cities  proud,  with  spires  and  turrets  crown'd ; 

Not  bays  and  broad-arm'd  ports, 
Where,  laughing  at  the  storm,  rich  navies  ride ; 

Not  starr'd  and  spangled  courts, 
Where  low-brow'd  baseness  wafts  perfume  to  pride, 

No ; — men ;  high-minded  men : — 
Men,  who  their  duties  know, 

But  know  their  rights,  and,  knowing,  dare  maintain  ; 
Prevent  the  long-aim'd  blow, 

And  crush  the  tyrant  while  they  rend  the  chain ; 
These  constitute  a  state." 

Two  regiments  of  infantry,  with  several  pieces  of  cannon, 


1774.J  REVOLUTION.  221 

had  followed  the  arrival  of  General  Gage,  and  were  quartered 
in  Boston.  These  were  reinforced  by  several  regiments  from 
Halifax,  Ireland,  Quebec,  and  New  York,  to  crush  at  once 
the  spirit  of  liberty  that  was  about  to  kindle  into  a  wide 
spread  conflagration.  But  "  if  the  true  spark  of  civil  and 
religious  liberty  be  kindled,  it  will  burn;  human  agency  can 
not  extinguish  it :  like  the  earth's  central  fire,  it  may  be 
smothered  for  a  time ;  the  ocean  may  overwhelm  it ;  moun 
tains  may  press  it  down ;  but  its  inherent  and  unconquerable 
force  will  heave  both  the  ocean  and  the  land,  and  at  some 
time  or  another,  in  some  place  or  another,  the  volcano  will 
break  out  and  flame  up  to  heaven." 

Many  of  the  people,  being  experienced  huntsmen,  pre 
pared  for  war  with  the  greater  facility,  and  were  able  to  use 
the  rifle  with  great  advantage.  Drums  and  fifes  were  now 
everywhere  heard;  balls  were  cast  in  alniost  every  house, 
and  the  martial  scenes  exhibited  by  training  were  attended 
by  the  people  of  all  ages  and  conditions.  Even  the  ladies, 
as  is  usual  on  all  occasions  that  try  me?i's  souls,  animated  and 
encouraged  the  patriots  with  their  presence ;  assisted  in  the 
preparations  for  war,  and  shared  the  extreme  sufferings  to 
which  the  colonists  were  subjected, 

"  With  tears  for  naught  but  other's  ills, 
And  then  they  flowed  like  mountain  rills/ 

';  Oh,  woman !  in  our  hours  of  ease, 
Uncertain,  coy,  and  hard  to  please, 
And  variable  as  the  shade 
By  the  light  quivering  aspen  made  ; 
When  pain  and  anguish  wring  the  brow, 
A  ministering  angel  thou !" 

The  governor,  who  had  already  excited  the  indignation  of 
the  people,  by  placing  a  guard  upon  the  isthmus  which  con 
nects  the  peninsula  on  which  Boston  is  situated  with  the 
main  land,  now  commenced  fortifying  the  isthmus,  to  intimi 
date  the  people  and  prevent  them  from  transporting  arms 
from  the  town  into  the  country.  He  next  seized  the  powder 
that  was  stored  in  the  magazine  in  Charlestown,  adjoining 
Boston,  apprehensive  that  the  people  might  take  possession 


222  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1774-5. 

of  it  during  the  annual  review  of  the  militia,  which  was  ap 
proaching.  These  proceedings  were  regarded  as  acts  of  hos 
tility,  and  excited  the  rage  of  the  people  to  the  highest  de 
gree.  They  seized  their  arms,  assembled  from  every  quarter, 
and  hastened  to  Cambridge.  They  would  at  once  have 
marched  to  Boston,  had  they  not  been  restrained  by  the  pru 
dence  of  some  of  their  leaders. 

A  report  was  soon  after  circulated  that  hostilities  had  com 
menced  in  Boston,  by  the  fleet  and  garrison  firing  upon  the 
town,  and  that  the  Bostonians  were  defending  themselves. 
The  rumour  was  heard  with  avidity  and  circulated  with  sur 
prising  rapidity  through  every  part  of  the  province. 

The  farmer  stops  his  plough  in  the  field,  seizes  his  gun, 
while  he  breathes  retributive  vengeance  against  the  oppress 
ors  ;  the  mechanic  throws  down  his  hammer  and  obeys  the 
call  of  freedom ;  the  labourer  abandons  his  shovel,  spade  or 
axe  for  the  weapon  of  war ;  the  merchant  forsakes  his  coun 
ter,  the  lawyer  his  desk,  the  physician  his  patient — from  the 
hills  and  the  valleys  they  come ;  from  the  hamlet  and  the 
cottage  they  issue  forth — all  hurrying  promiscuously  towards 
the  supposed  scene  of  action ;  and  in  a  few  hours  30,000  men 
were  under  arms. 

"  Thus,  breathing  death,  in  terrible  array 
The  close-compacted  legions  urged  their  way : 
Fierce  they  drove  on,  impatient  to  destroy ; 
******* 
As  from  some  mountain's  craggy  forehead  torn, 
A  rock's  round  fragment  flies,  with  fiiry  borne, 
(Which  from  the  stubborn  stone  a  torrent  rends,) 
Precipitate  the  ponderous  mass  descends, 
From  steep  to  steep  the  rolling  ruin  bounds ; 
At  every  shock  the  crackling  wood  resounds ; 
Still  gathering  force,  it  smokes,  and,  urged  amain, 
Whirls,  leaps,  and  thunders  down,  impetuous  to  the  plain : 
There  stops"— 

So  this  armed  multitude  stops ;  but  not  until  they  are  satis 
fied  that  the  report  of  the  attack  on  Boston  is  unfounded. 

Every  province  had  now  become  the  theatre  of  popular 
commotions,  and  a  general  scrambling  took  place  between 


1775.]  REVOLUTION,  223 


the  adverse  governments  for  the  powder.  At  Portsmouth, 
New  Hampshire,  the  provincials  stormed  the  fort,  carrying 
off*  the  powder  and  artillery.  In  Rhode  Island  a  similar 
course  was  pursued;  at  Newport  the  people  rose  in  their 
majesty,  and  took  forty  pieces  of  cannon  which  defended  the 
harbour,  fully  convinced  that  the  language  of  these  would 
be  the  only  effectual  argument  against  the  tyranny  of  their 
relentless  oppressors. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Efforts  of  Parliament — Pitt's  conciliatory   Bill — People  of  Massachusetts  de 
clared  Rebels — Violent  Commotions  in  America — Battle  of  Lexington — Flight  of 
Adams  and  Hancock — Provincial  Congress  of  Massachusetts — Address  to  the 
People  of  England — Army  of  30,000  Men  blockade  Boston. 

"  And,  as  a  lover  hails  the  dawn 

Of  a  first  smile,  so  welcomed  they 
The  sparkle  of  the  first  sword  drawn 

For  vengeance  and  for  liberty  !" 
"  Oh  !  what  an  ever-glorious  morning  is  this !" 
THE  omnipotence  of  Parliament  and  the  impotence  of  Lord 
North,  prime  minister,  were  still  exerted  to  subdue  the  "  dar 
ing  spirit  of  resistance  and  disobedience"  in  the  colonies, 
while  Mr.  Pitt,  who  after  a  long  absence  had  resumed  his 
seat  in  the  House  of  Lords,  introduced  a  conciliatory  bill,  and 
supported  it  and  the  people  of  America  in  a  long  and  elo 
quent  discourse ;  but  the  ministers  obtained  a  majority  and 
the  bill  was  lost.  The  inhabitants  of  Massachusetts  were 
soon  after  declared  rebels,  which  was  equivalent  to  declaring 
war  against  them.  The  object  of  treating  this  province  with 
such  rigour  was  to  separate  her  from  the  rest ;  but  the  very 
measures  that  were  adopted  to  separate  the  colonies  cemented 
their  union  for  mutual  protection  and  defence.  The  rights 
of  one  were  the  rights  of  all ;  to  submit  to  the  enslaving  of 
a  sister  province,  would  be  a  tacit  recognition  of  the  right  of 
England  to  enslave  the  rest. 

The  news  having  arrived  of  the  king's  speech  against  the 
colonists  at  the  opening  of  Parliament,  the  resolutions  of  that 


224  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1775. 


body,  and  of  the  act  declaring  the  people  of  Massachusetts 
rebels,  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  seized  their  arms. 
"  Indignation  became  fury — obstinacy,  desperation.  All  idea 
of  reconciliation  had  become  chimerical ;  necessity  stimu 
lated  the  most  timid;  a  thirst  for  vengeance  fired  every 
breast.  The  match  is  lighted — the  materials  disposed — the 
conflagration  impends,"  while  the  sister  colonies  console  and 
encourage  them  with  a  full  assurance  of  their  assistance 
through  the  impending  war. 

"  In  these  arms,"  said  they,  "  in  our  right  hands,  are  placed 
the  hope  of  safety,  the  existence  of  country,  the  defence  of 
property,  the  honour  of  our  wives  and  daughters.  With 
these  alone  can  we  repulse  a  licentious  soldiery,  protect  what 
man  holds  dearest  upon  earth,  and  unimpaired  transmit  our 
rights  to  our  descendants.  The  world  will  admire  our  cour 
age  ;  all  good  men  will  second  us  with  their  wishes  and  pray 
ers,  and  celebrate  our  names  with  immortal  praises.  Our 
memory  will  become  dear  to  posterity.  It  will  be  the  example, 
as  the  hope  of  freemen,  and  the  dread  of  tyrants,  to  the  latest 
ages.  It  is  time  that  old  contaminated  England  should  be 
made  acquainted  with  the  energies  of  America,  in  the  prime 
and  innocence  of  her  youth ;  it  is  time  she  should  know  how 
much  superior  are  our  soldiers  in  courage  and  constancy  to 
vile  mercenaries.  We  must  look  back  no  more  !  We  must 
conquer  or  die  !  We  are  placed  between  altars  smoking  with 
the  most  grateful  incense  of  glory  and  gratitude,  on  the  one 
part,  and  blocks  and  dungeons  on  the  other.  Let  each  then 
rise,  and  gird  himself  for  the  combat ;  the  dearest  interests 
of  this  world  command  it ;  our  most  holy  religion  enjoins  it ; 
that  God,  who  eternally  rewards  the  virtuous  and  punishes 
the  wicked,  ordains  it.  Let  us  accept  these  happy  auguries ; 
for  already  the  mercenary  satellites,  sent  by  wicked  ministers 
to  reduce  this  innocent  people  to  extremity,  are  imprisoned 
within  the  walls  of  a  single  city,  where  hunger  emaciates 
them,  rage  devours  them,  death  consumes  them.  Let  us 
banish  every  fear,  every  alarm;  fortune  smiles  upon  the 
efforts  of  the  brave !" 

On  the  19th  of  April,  1775,  the  first  blow  was  struck,  with 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  225 


a  heavy  arm,  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  and  Lexington, 
in  Massachusetts,  stands  first  on  the  list  of  the  battle-grounds, 
the  hallowed  spots  where  British  tyranny  over  our  country 
was  crushed,  and  American  freedom  was  exalted  before  an 
astonished  world. 

General  Gage,  having  been  informed  that  the  agents  of  the 
provincial  government  had  purchased  a  large  quantity  of 
arms  and  ammunition,  and  deposited  them  at  Concord, 
eighteen  miles  from  Boston,  conceived  the  design  of  sending 
a  few  companies  to  destroy  them ;  and,  as  many  believed,  at 
the  same  time,  to  take  John  Hancock  and  Samuel  Adams. 
To  insure  the  success  of  the  expedition,  General  Gage  acted 
with  great  caution  and  profound  secrecy.  He  ordered  a 
number  of  officers  to  go,  as  if  on  a  party  of  pleasure,  on  the  18th 
of  April ;  dine  at  Cambridge,  on  the  way  to  Concord,  and 
then  dispose  themselves  along  the  road  in  the  night,  to  inter 
cept  any  messengers  that  might  be  sent  by  the  patriots  to 
give  their  fellow-citizens  notice  of  the  impending  danger. 
The  governor,  at  the  same  time,  gave  orders  that  none  of  the 
inhabitants  should  be  allowed  to  leave  the  town. 

The  troops,  commanded  by  Colonel  Smith,  were  embarked 
at  Boston,  at  11  o'clock  at  night,  on  the  18th;  conveyed  in 
boats  up  the  Charles  river,  to  a  place  called  Phipp's  Farm, 
where  they  landed  in  the  night,  and  proceeded  on  their  march 
to  Concord,  taking  every  precaution  to  prevent  the  people  of 
the  country  from  being  apprized  of  their  march,  even  securing 
such  persons  as  they  met  in  their  route. 

Notwithstanding  all  their  precautions,  the  provincials,  hav 
ing  their  eyes  open,  could  see  just  as  far  into  a  military 
movement  as  General  Gage,  the  king's  governor.  The  Bos- 
tonians  had  already  warned  Adams  and  Hancock  to  retire 
from  danger ;  and  Doctor  Warren,  one  of  the  leaders  among 
the  patriots,  discovering  the  scheme,  had  despatched  messen 
gers  to  Lexington,  a  town  on  the  road  leading  to  Concord. 
Some  of  these  messengers  were  forbidden  to  pass  the  officers 
stationed  along  the  road,  but  others  eluded  their  vigilance 
and  made  their  way  to  Lexington.  The  secret  wras  divulged, 
and  intelligence  spread,  as  rapidly  as  sound  could  carry  it,  by 


226  THE    ARMY     AND    NAVY-  [1775.! 

the  ringing  of  the  bells  and  firing  of  cannon ;  and  it  was  in 
the  midst  of  this  tumultuous  uproar  that  the  British  troops 
had  embarked  at  Boston. 

Major  Pitcairne,  who  led  the  vanguard  of  Smith's  detach 
ment,  reached  Lexington,  fifteen  miles  from  Boston,  at  5 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  19th.  On  their  approach,  the 
provincials  hastily  assembled  under  arms,  to  the  number  of 
about  70,  on  a  green  adjoining  the  road.  As  Pitcairne 
approached,  he  vociferated,  "  Disperse,  rebels;  lay  down  your 
arms  and  disperse."  The  people  not  immediately  obeying 
his  orders,  he  rushed  from  the  ranks,  fired  a  pistol,  brandished 
his  sword  a  la  Hudibj  as,  and  ordered  the  soldiers  to  fire  on 
this  little  party  of  men.  Eight  were  killed  and  several 
wounded.  They  retreated,  but,  as  the  firing  was  continued 
by  the  English,  the  retreating  party  faced  about  and  re 
turned  it. 

In  the  meantime,  Hancock  and  Adams  defeated  one  of  the 
probable  objects  of  the  expedition,  by  retiring  from  the  enemy ; 
and  as  they  did  so,  the  latter  exclaimed,  "  Oh !  what  an  ever- 
glorious  morning  is  this  !"  The  cry  of  blood  thus  ruthlessly 
spilt,  he  looked  upon  as  a  prelude  to  events  that  would,  in  the 
end,  secure  the  freedom  and  happiness  of  his  country :  and 
his  soul  expanded  as  he  reflected  over  that  patriotism  that  had 
just  raised  some  of  his  countrymen  superior  to  the  terrors  of 
death,  arid  made  them  willing  sacrifices  to  their  country. 
These  were  the  thoughts,  and  not  an  unfeeling  indifference 
to  the  fate  of  others,  that  drew  from  the  enraptured  heart  of 
that  great  man  the  ever-memorable  exclamation.  "  Oh  !  what 
an  ever-glorious  morning  is  this  !" 

The  soldiers  now  marched  on  to  Concord.  Here  the  militia 
again  assembled  upon  a  hill,  near  the  entrance  of  the  town ; 
but  when  they  saw  the  number  of  the  enemy,  and  the  light 
infantry  ascending  the  hill,  while  the  grenadiers  continued  on 
the  direct  road  to  Concord,  they  fell  back,  crossed  a  bridge 
north  of  the  town,  where  they  intended  to  wait  for  reinforce 
ments  ;  but  these  not  arriving  in  time,  the  light  infantry  as 
sailed  them  with  great  fury,  and  drove  them  back.  The 
grenadiers,  at  the  same  time,  were  engaged  in  destroying  the 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  227 

military  stores  of  Concord.  They  threw  into  the  river,  and 
into  wells,  500  pounds  of  bullets  ;  spiked  two  pieces  of  cannon, 
and  wasted  some  flour. 

The  minute-men  now  arrived,  and  with  the  militia  who 
had  retreated  over  the  bridge,  and 


Knew  when  and  how  to  cut  and  come  again  ;" 

returned  —  advanced  boldly  to  the  bridge,  where  a  sharp  ac 
tion  ensued  across  the  river  ;  but  the  purpose  of  the  expedition 
being  executed,  the  British  troops  retreated  precipitately 
towards  Boston,  their  minds  probably  filled  with  sentiments 
something  like  the  following  : 

"  --  '  God  save  the  king  !'  and  kings  — 
For  if  he  do  n't,  I  doubt  if  men  will  longer  — 
1  think  I  hear  a  little  bird,  who  sings, 

The  people  by  and  by  will  be  the  stronger." 

No  sooner  had  the  British  commenced  their  retreat  from 
Concord,  than  the  volunteers,  minute-men,  and  militia,  still 
pouring  in  from  all  parts  of  the  neighbouring  country,  and 
posting  themselves  behind  trees,  walls,  hedges,  and  in  the 
houses,  constantly  annoyed  the  enemy  in.  flank  and  rear, 
driving  them  on  like  a  flock  of  sheep,  until  they  got  back  to 
Lexington. 

A  reinforcement  despatched  by  Governor  Gage,  consisting 
of  sixteen  companies,  with  two  pieces  of  cannon,  under  the 
command  of  Lord  Percy,  arrived  at  Lexington  at  the  same 
moment  that  the  British  troops  entered  the  town  on  the  op 
posite  side,  with  an  exasperated  people  at  their  backs,  who, 
but  for  this  reinforcement,  would  have  cut  the  enemy  to 
pieces  or  made  them  prisoners. 

A  loyalist  historian  says  that  "  Lord  Percy  now  formed  his 
detachment  into  a  square,  in  which  he  enclosed  Colonel 
Smith's  party,  who  were  so  much  exhausted  with  fatigue, 
that  they  were  obliged  to  lie  down  for  rest  on  the  ground  ; 
their  tongues  hanging  out  of  their  mouths  like  those  of  dogs 
after  a  chase."  We  are  not  prepared  to  say  how  this  un- 
poetical  comparison  and  rather  equivocal  eulogium  was 
received. 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


However,  after  the  British  got  their  tongues  in  again, 
which  no  doubt  they  did  after  a  rest,  the  two  detachments, 
forming  a  junction,  resumed  their  retreat  towards  Boston, 
harassed  the  whole  way  by  the  Americans.  Although  the 
rear-guard  of  the  enemy  was  protected  by  the  cannon,  which 
repressed  the  impetuosity  of  the  provincials,  their  flanks  and 
front  were  exposed  to  an  incessant  fire.  The  Americans 
loaded  in  the  woods,  behind  trees,  hedges,  or  houses,  ran  to 
cross-roads  and  other  places  where,  from  their  knowledge  of  the 
country,  they  knew  the  British  had  to  pass,  came  on  them 
unexpectedly,  fired,  hid  themselves,  loaded,  came  out  and  fired 
again,  honouring  the  officers  with  their  particular  attention. 

Overwhelmed  with  fatigue  and  suffering,  the  king's  troops, 
amounting  to  nearly  2000,  arrived  in  Charles  town  about  sun 
set,  after  travelling  thirty-five  miles  that  day ;  oppressed  with 
heat,  almost  suffocated  and  blinded  by  the  dust,  and,  above 
all,  exposed  to  a  rather  discordant  prelude  to  the  opening  war 
of  the  Revolution.  The  following  day  they  crossed  over  to 
Boston.  The  British  loss  during  this  harassing  march  was, 
65  killed,  136  \vounded,  and  49  missing.  The  loss  of  the 
provincials  amounted  to  88  killed,  wounded,  and  missing. 

The  indignation  of  the  British  officers  and  soldiers  was 
unbounded  after  passing  through  this  fiery  ordeal  of  "  an  un 
disciplined  flock  of  Yankees"  as  they  contemptuously  called 
the  people. 

The  news  of  the  affair  at  Lexington  rapidly  spread :  the 
war-cry  rung  through  the  land,  and 

<;  Fell  on  the  soul  like  drops  of  flame," 

arousing  the  hardy  sons  of  freedom  in  the  north  and  the 
south  to  manly  resistance.  They  felt  an  honest  pride  that 
their  slanderers  and  oppressors  had  been  obliged  to  turn  their 
backs,  after  all  their  ridiculous  boasting,  and  take  refuge  be 
hind  the  walls  of  a  city;  and  having  just  driven  them  into 
Boston,  they  now  spoke  of  driving  them  out  of  that  town. 
The  morale  of  the  Americans  was  raised  to  a  high  degree, 
and  to  keep  the  lighted  torch  of  war  in  a  full  blaze,  the  obse 
quies  of  the  slain  were  celebrated  with  every  mark  of  honour; 


1775.]  REVOLUTION. 


eulogies  were  pronounced  upon  them  as  the  martyrs  of  liberty , 
and  they  were  constantly  spoken  of  as  models  to  be  imitated 
by  others. 

The  provincial  Congress  of  Massachusetts,  now  in  session 
at  Watertown,  ten  miles  from  Boston,  addressed  a  letter  to 
the  people  of  England,  with  depositions  to  prove  that  the 
royal  troops  were  the  aggressors.  In  conclusion,  they  af 
firmed  their  irrevocable  and  high  reso  ve  to  resist  every  form 
of  tyranny ;  and  appealing  to  Heaven  for  the  justice  of  their 
cause,  they  were  determined  to  die  or  be  free. 

The  Congress  also  resolved  that  a  levy  should  be  made  in 
the  province  of  13,600  men,  and  chose  for  their  general, 
Colonel  Ward,  an  officer  of  much  reputation,  who  had  served 
in  the  provincial  regiments  during  the  late  war.  The  pro 
vincials  of  New  Hampshire,  Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island, 
were  also  in  motion ;  headed  by  General  Putnam,  Colonel 
Stark,  and  General  Green,  respectively.  The  first  of  these 
had  served  in  the  two  late  wars,  where  he  had  shown  talent 
and  courage.  The  militia  poured  in  so  fast,  that  an  army  of 
30,000  was  soon  assembled,  forming  an  encampment  of  twelve 
miles  in  extent,  reaching  from  the  river  Mystic  on  the  left  to 
Roxbury  on  the  right,  enclosing  Boston  in  the  centre.  Gene 
ral  Ward,  with  the  main  body  of  about  9,000  troops,  and 
four  companies  of  artillery,  occupied  Cambridge,  at  which 
he  had  fixed  his  head-quarters ;  while  all  the  points  of  high 
land,  the  farms,  and  the  main  roads,  were  carefully  defended. 
Lieutenant-General  Thomas,  whom  the  provincial  Congress 
had  appointed  second  in  command,  with  5000  troops,  occu 
pied  Roxbury  and  Dorchester.  He  was  distinguished  for 
talents,  patriotism,  and  military  reputation.  The  other  offi 
cers  were  stationed  at  various  places  along  this  extended 
line. 

And  now,  ye  hirelings  of  a  narrow-minded  bigot,  what 
think  you  of  the  provincials  ?  These  are  the  rebels  ;  the  un 
worthy,  mean-spirited  cowards  ;  the  contemptible  militia  of 
an  insurgent  people  !  These  are  the  men  you  would  have 
intimidated  with  the  pageantry  of  regal,  parliamentary,  and 
military  power !  Look  to  your  humbled  position — closely 


230  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 

besieged  by  that  same  people,  who  now  scorn  your  tottering 
power,  and  who,  appealing  from  tyranny  to  God,  are  proud 
of  the  noble,  the  grand,  the  sublime  death  of  the  patriot. 
Look  to  your  crouching  lion, — the  eagle  will  yet  flap  his 
wings  in  triumph  over  his  mangled  carcass,  and  the  good  and 
the  wise  in  other  countries  will  hail  the  happy  omen  of  a 
world  liberated  from  the  thraldom  of  ages. 

" i  The  bright  day  is  dawning,  when  the  West 

No  more  shall  croucli  before  old  England's  crest ; 
When  men  who  claim  thy  birthright,  Liberty, 
Shall  burst  their  leading-strings,  and  dare  be  free ; 
Nor,  while  they  boast  thy  blessings,  trembling  stand 
Like  dastard  slaves  before  her,  cap  in  hand?" 


CHAPTER    III. 

Warlike  Preparations  throughout  the  Colonies — Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point 
taken — Taking  of  Skeenesborough  and  Garrison. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Great  Jehovah,  and  of  the  Continental  Congress." 

« Why,  take  it ; 

I'm  all  submission  ;  what  you'd  have  it,  make  it." 

WHILE  the  theatre  of  war  wras  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston, 
other  provinces  were  making  active  preparations  for  doing 
their  part. 

The  city  of  New  York,  wrhere  the  English  had  the  most 
friends,  and  which  had  hitherto  manifested  such  reserve,  be 
came  enthusiastic  in  the  common  cause  with  the  colonies, 
after  the  battle  of  Lexington.  The  inhabitants  adopted  the 
resolutions  of  the  general  Congress :  military  training  was 
commenced  and  steadily  pursued  ;  the  arms  and  ammunition 
deposited  in  the  royal  magazines  were  seized;  the  women 
and  children  were  removed  from  the  seat  of  danger,  and  every 
preparation  was  made  to  defend  themselves ;  and  in  case  of 
failure  it  was  resolved  to  destroy  the  city by  fire !  This  threat 
perhaps  had  a  tendency  to  bring  over  some  of  the  tories,  as 
the  adherents  of  the  king  were  called,  since  the  time  of  the 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  "331 

'*  Boston  port  bill,"  to  distinguish  them  from  the  zuhi.gs,  who 
favoured  the  cause  of  Boston. 

In  South  Carolina  the  people  received  the  intelligence  of 
the  battle  of  Lexington  with  surprise  and  apprehension. 
Exposed  to  the  formidable  squadrons  of  Great  Britain  along 
their  entire  coast,  200  miles  in  length,  without  possessing 
arms  and  ammunition  themselves,  placed  them  in  a  very  cri 
tical  situation,  especially  as  their  own  slaves  might  be  bribed 
to  massacre  their  masters,  The  people,  however,  were  not 
to  be  intimidated  by  their  unfavourable  position,  but  on  the 
night  subsequent  to  the  advice  of  the  hostilities  at  Lexington, 
they  rushed  to  the  arsenal,  took  all  the  arms  and  ammunition, 
and  distributed  them  among  the  soldiers  in  the  pay  of  the 
province.  A  provincial  Congress  was  convoked,  where  it  was 
resolved  that  the  Carolinas  be  united  for  the  defence  of  their 
country,  and  that  they  were  ready  to  march,  whenever  and 
wherever  the  Congress,  whether  general  or  provincial,  should 
judge  necessary. 

In  New  Jersey  troops  were  levied,  and  the  provincial  trea 
sure  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  people  to  pay  these 
troops. 

Maryland  was  in  motion.  The  military  stores  and  public 
magazines  at  Baltimore  were  taken  by  the  people,  in  which, 
among  other  things,  they  found  1500  muskets. 

The  inhabitants  of  Philadelphia  passed  such  resolutions  as 
they  deemed  best  calculated  to  defend  the  common  cause, 
notwithstanding  the  tardy  movements  of  the  Quakers,  with 
their  pacific  ideas.  The  spirit,  however,  moved  even  them 
at  last  to  lean  on  the  side  of  the  provincials.  It  may  here  be 
remarked  that  "The  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  convened 
about  the  close  of  the  year  1774,  was  the  first  constitutional 
authority  which  ratified,  formally,  all  the  acts  of  Congress, 
and  elected  deputies  for  the  ensuing.  A  convention  having 
soon  after  been  formed  in  this  province,  it  was  therein  de 
clared  that,  if  the  petition  of  Congress  was  rejected,  and  the 
government  should  persist  in  attempting  to  execute  by  force 
the  late  arbitrary  acts  of  Parliament,  it  would  then  be  requi 
site  to  resist  also  with  open  force,  and  defend,  at  all  hazards, 


I 


232  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


the  rights  and  liberties  of  America.  Not  content  with  words, 
this  Assembly  recommended  that  provisions  should  be  made 
of  salt,  gunpowder,  saltpetre,  Iron,  steel,  and  other  munitions 
of  \v:;r.  Charles  Thomson,  and  Thomas,  afterwards  General 
Mifflin,  both  men  of  great  influence  in  the  province,  and 
much  distinguished  for  their  intellectual  endowments,  were 
very  active  on  the  occasion,  and  by  their  exertions  the  reso 
lutions  of  the  convention  were  executed  with  singular  prompt 
itude  and  vigour." 

The  provincial  Congress  of  Virginia,  convened  in  the  month 
of  March,  had  recommended  that  volunteers  should  be  raised 
in  each  county.  The  governor,  Lord  Dunmore,  at  these  pro 
ceedings  became  exceedingly  indignant ;  and  apprehending 
the  people  intended  to  take  possession  of  the  public  magazine 
at  Williamsburg,  he  had  all  the  powder  conveyed  on  board 
an  armed  vessel,  anchored  in  James  river,  in  the  night.  The 
people,  violently  exasperated,  flew  to  arms,  but  the  municipal 
council  interposing,  succeeded  in  repressing  the  tumult  and 
restoring  tranquillity. 

The  barbarous  menaces  of  the  governor  to  arm  the  blacks 
against  their  masters,  and  to  destroy  the  city,  spread  the 
spirit  of  resistance  anew7  like  a  mighty  conflagration  through 
the  colony.  Meetings  were  held  in  all  the  counties,  where 
the  conduct  and  menaces  of  the  governor  were  denounced 
with  great  asperity ;  and  in  the  county  of  Hanover  and 
around  it,  the  people  took  up  arms,  and,  commanded  by  Pat 
rick  Henry,  one  of  the  delegates  of  the  general  Congress, 
marched  against  the  city  of  Williamsburg  to  demand  resti 
tution  of  the  powder,  and  to  secure  the  public  treasury 
against  the  attempts  of  the  governor.  After  some  of  these 
volunteers  had  arrived  in  the  suburbs  of  the  city,  a  parley 
was  opened — tranquillity  was  restored  for  the  present,  and 
the  people  returned  to  their  homes. 

The  governor  now  resorted  to  the  usual  plan  of  tyrants  or 
their  agents  for  supporting  a  sinking  power  against  reason 
and  justice.  He  fortified  his  palace  as  strongly  as  possible, 
placed  a  garrison  of  marines  within,  and  surrounded  it  with 
artillery  !  From  this  palace,  prison,  or  fortification,  his  lord- 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  233 


ship  issued  a  proclamation,  declaring  Henry  and  his  followers 
rebels,  and  attributed  the  present  commotions  to  the  disaffec 
tion  of  the  people.  These  were  certainly  not  the  most  pru 
dent  measures  to  conciliate  the  good  will  of  an  insulted  com 
munity. 

The  inhabitants  of  Connecticut,  not  satisfied  with  mere 
legislation,  undertook  a  very  important  enterprise.  Expect 
ing  the  war  to  continue,  and  knowing  the  importance  of  occu 
pying  the  fortresses  of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point,  they 
resolved  to  take  them  by  surprise. 

The  first  of  these,  standing  on  Lake  Champlain,  near  the 
north  end  of  Lake  George,  upon  the  frontier,  at  the  very  en 
trance  of  Canada  ;  and  the  other  near  the  southern  extremity 
of  Lake  Champlain,  form  the  gates  or  keys  of  that  province ; 
and  whoever  occupied  these  posts  could  prevent  all  commu 
nication  between  it  and  the  colonies.  It  was  also  known  that 
the  fortresses,  though  furnished  with  a  very  numerous  artil 
lery,  of  which  the  Americans  were  much  in  need,  were  left 
to  the  charge  of  a  feeble  detachment,  the  Governor  of  Canada 
not  apprehending  any  danger.  To  strike  such  a  bold  blow, 
successfully,  in  the  first  warlike  operations,  would  also  have 
the  effect  of  stimulating  the  ardour  of  the  people. 

The  troops  were  assembled  at  Castleton,  on  the  great  road 
to  Ticonderoga,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Ethan  Allen. 
The  greater  number  coming  from  the  Green  Mountains,  called 
themselves  Green  Mountain  Boys.  Colonel  Benedict  Arnold, 
a  man  possessed  of  extraordinary  genius  and  an  intrepidity 
which  at  times  almost  resembled  madness,  had  actually  con 
ceived  the  same  plan.  He  had  conferred  with  the  committee 
of  safety  of  Massachusetts,  who  appointed  him  Colonel,  and 
gave  him  authority  to  levy  soldiers.  When  Arnold  arrived 
at  Castleton,  he  was  very  much  surprised  to  find  himself  an 
ticipated  ;  but  determined  to  have  a  fight,  at  all  events,  he 
placed  himself  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Allen,  and 
they  proceeded  to  execute  their  enterprise. 

Posting  sentinels  upon  the  roads,  the  commanders  of  the 
fortresses  did  not  receive  intelligence  of  their  approach.  If 
this  precaution  had  been  neglected,  reinforcements  would 

30  u* 


234  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY,  [1775. 


have  been  drawn  from  the  neighbouring  fortress  of  St.  John. 
Arriving  at  lake  Champlain  in  the  night,  opposite  Ticonderoga, 
Allen  and  Arnold  crossed  over  to  the  other  bank,  near  the 
fortress.  At  day-break,  while  the  garrison  wras  yet  asleep, 
they  entered  by  the  covered  way,  arrived  upon  the  esplanade, 
raised  a  deafening  shout  of  victory,  and  made  all  the  noise 
and  uproar  in  their  power.  The  soldiers  of  the  garrison 
started  up  from  their  sleep,  and  immediately  commenced 
firing.  A  scuffle  took  place,  but  the  British  commander  ap 
pearing,  Allen  demanded  the  fort.  "By  what  authority?" 
asked  the  commander.  "  In  the  name  of  the  Great  Jehovah, 
and  the  Continental  Congress,"  said  Allen.  Such  a  startling 
declaration  might  have  overawed  Cerberus  himself.  The 
effect  was  the  obedience  of  the  summons,  and  the  surrender 
of  the  fort,  with  all  its  stores.  Allen  did  not  act  under  the 
authority  of  the  Continental  Congress,  though  he  took  the  fort 
in  its  name.  He  acted  under  the  authority  of  the  state  of 
Connecticut  alone.  The  Americans  obtained  at  this  fort,  120 
pieces  of  brass  cannon,  several  howitzers  and  mortars,  1 
cohorn,  bombs,  10  tons  of  musket  balls,  3  cart-loads  of  flints, 
30  new  carriages,  30  barrels  of  flour,  and  18  of  pork,  &c. 

Crown  Point  was  taken  soon  after,  without  difficulty,  where 
over  100  pieces  of  artillery  were  found. 

With  a  view  to  control  the  lake,  our  heroes  armed  a 
schooner,  the  command  of  which  was  given  to  Arnold,  while 
Allen  was  to  bring  on  his  men  upon  flat-boats,  to  take  the 
only  ship  of  the  royal  navy  then  on  the  lake,  and  which  the 
English  kept  at  anchor  near  fort  St.  John.  Arnold,  with  a 
favourable  wind,  soon  left  the  boats  in  the  rear,  and  coming 
alongside  of  the  British  ship,  he  took  possession  of  it  without 
resistance,  and  returned  with  his  prize  to  Ticonderoga. 

Allen,  also,  surprised  and  took  Skeenesborough,  with  its 
garrison.  Having  appointed  Arnold  to  command  the  fortresses 
in  chief,  Allen  returned  to  Connecticut. 

If  we  felt  disposed  continually  to  remind  the  reader  of  our 
promise  to  give  the  war  maxims  of  our  heroes  practically,  we 
might  here  say,  for  Allen  and  Arnold,  secrecy,  despatch,  and 


775.]  REVOLUTION.  235 


ntrepid  courage,  are  the  commencement  of  victory.  These 
vere  the  principles  by  which  they  were  governed  in  these 
uccessful  enterprises. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Investment  of   Boston  continued — Scarcity  of   Provisions— Reinforcement   of 
'roops  under  Howe,  Clinton,  and  Burgoyne — Two  Plans  to  extricate  themselves 
— Both  defeated— Battle  of  Breed's  Hill — Letter  of  General  Gage — Observations 
n  Opposition  Papers  in  London — Eulogium  on  Dr,  Warren. 

« And  darest  thou  then. 

To  beard  the  lion  in  his  den. 
The  Douglass  in  his  hall?1' 

As  the  noise  of  the  troubled  ocean  when  roll  the  waves  on  high,  as  the 
ast  peal  of  thundering  heaven,  such  is  the  noise  of  battle.  Though  Cormac's 
mndred  bards  were  there,  feeble  were  the  voice  of  a  hundred  bards  to  send 
he  deaths  to  future  times ;  for  many  were  the  deaths  of  the  heroes,  and 
wide  poured  the  blood  of  the  valiant." 

THE  close  investment  of  Boston  by  the  provincials,  and 
their  exertions  to  intercept  from  the  English  all  supplies  of 
provisions,  gave  occasion  to  frequent  skirmishes  upon  Noddle's 
and  Hog  Islands,  both  situated  in  the  harbour  of  Boston,  and 
to  which  the  British  frequently  went  in  quest  of  provisions. 
These  islands  abounding  in  forage  and  cattle,  the  provincials 
resolved  to  destroy  the  one,  and  drive  off  the  other.  The 
royalists,  who  were  fighting  for  subsistence,  made  a  most 
vigorous  resistance,  but  without  any  other  effect  than  inspir 
ing  the  Americans  with  greater  confidence  in  themselves. 
The  garrison  of  Boston,  already  suffering  for  want  of  food 
felt  the  effects  of  these  daring  enterprises  of  the  besiegers 
with  peculiar  severity. 

The  besiegers  hoped  that  by  such  proceedings  the  governor 
would  be  compelled  to  consent  to  the  departure  of  the  inhab 
itants  of  Boston,  who  had  no  other  resource  but  from  the 
magazines  of  the  king;  but  the  governor  considering  the 
people  as  so  many  hostages  for  the  safety  of  his  garrison 
would  not  even  allow  the  women  and  children  to  leave  th( 
city ;  apprehensive  that  after  their  removal  the  Americans 


236 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1775. 


might  attempt  to  carry  the  place  by  assault.  Pressed  by 
necessity,  however,  General  Gage  at  last  acceded  to  an  ar 
rangement  by  which  the  citizens  were  allowed  to  retire  from 
the  city  with  their  effects,  provided  they  first  deposited  their 
arms  in  Faneuil  Hall.  They  now  commenced  moving  out  of 
the  city,  but  the  governor,  either  unwilling  to  deprive  himself 
entirely  of  hostages,  or  alarmed  at  the  rumour  that  the  in 
surgents  intended  to  fire  the  city,  soon  began  to  refuse  passes. 
It  has  been  said  that  in  granting  passports  to  some  and  not  to 
others,  he  studied  to  divide  families;  separating  husbands 
from  their  wives,  fathers  from  their  children,  brothers  from 
each  other.  Such  cruelty,  if  true,  needs  no  comment.  Those 
affected  with  small-pox  were  allowed  to  depart,  as  many  sup 
posed,  with  the  barbarous  intention  of  spreading  the  con 
tagious  disease  among  the  rebels !  We  hope,  however,  for 
the  sake  of  human  nature,  that  the  spreading  of  this  formidable 
disease  throughout  the  province,  was  rather  the  result  of 
ignorance  or  culpable  neglect  on  the  part  of  the  governor, 
than  any  malicious  intention. 

At  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  the  number  of 
troops  in  Boston  amounted  to  4000,  but  about  the  end  of  May 
and  beginning  of  June,  the  reinforcements  expected  by  Gen 
eral  Gage  arrived  at  Boston,  with  the  distinguished  Generals 
Howe,  Clinton,  and  Burgoyne,  to  command  them ;  increasing 
the  army  to  12,000  men. 

Encouraged  by  this  accession  of  strength,  burning  with 
indignation  at  the  thought  that  the  soldiers  of  the  king  of 
England,  renowned  for  their  brilliant  achievements,  were  now 
imprisoned  in  a  city  by  those  who  had  already  made  them 
turn  their  backs  and  seek  safety  in  flight ;  and  being  moreover 
alarmed  at  the  increasing  scarcity  of  food,  the  English  troops 
were  exceedingly  desirous  of  proving  their  great  superiority 
over  the  herds  of  American  militia.  The  provincials  invest 
ing  Boston,  full  of  ardour  and  courage,  inspired  by  a  righte 
ous  cause  and  preceding  successes,  were  no  less  eager  for  the 
hour  of  battle  to  arrive. 

The  English  generals  now  began  to  deliberate  upon  the 
most  expedient  plan  of  extricating  themselves  from  this  dan- 


1775,]  REVOLUTION.  237 


gerous  position.  The  situation  of  Boston  naturally  suggested 
two  ways  by  which  they  might  issue  from  the  city  into  the 
country. 

But  before  we  proceed,  it  will  be  necessary  to  aid  the 
imagination  of  the  reader  by  a  brief  sketch  of  the  relative 
situations  of  Boston  and  Charlestown,  in  the  latter  of  which 
was  fought  the  sanguinary  and  ever-memorable  battle  of  Bun 
ker's  Hill,  as  it  is  called,  though  the  battle  was  really  fought 
on  Breed's  Hill. 

There  are  two  peninsulas ;  on  the  one  we  have  Boston,  on 
the  other,  Charlestown.  That  of  Charlestown  has  the  shape 
of  a  pear,  the  stem  uniting  it  to  the  mainland,  while  the  end 
extends  towards  the  harbour.  Breed's  Hill  and  Bunker's 
Hill  swell  out  from  its  surface.  The  first  of  these  overlooks 
Charlestown,  and  constitutes  that  part  of  the  peninsula  nearest 
to  Boston,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  the  Charles  river. 
Bunker's  Hill  is  situated  farther  from  Boston,  towards  Charles- 
town  Neck.  The  Mystic  or  Medford  river,  on  the  north, 
washes  the  farther  shore  of  this  peninsula. 

41 brevity  is  very  good 

When  we  are,  or  are  not  understood. '? 

We  are  fully  satisfied,,  after  a  careful  examination  of  the 
singular  location  of  Boston  and  Charlestown,  that  this  short 
sketch  is  sufficient  in  a  military  point  of  view,  and  that  a 
more  minute  account  would  only  create  confusion.  If  the 
reader  ever  visits  Boston  (if  he  has  not  done  so  already),  let 
him  go  up  into  the  tower  of  the  State  House.  The  janitor 
will  furnish  you  with  a  very  small  map  (that  points  out 
nothing),  to  enable  you  to  understand  the  reality. 

The  two  ways  by  which  the  British  might  leave  Boston 
are  now  very  obvious ;  one,  to  sally  from  Boston  Neck  and 
attack  the  American  entrenchments  at  Roxbury ;  the  other, 
was  to  cross  the  Charles  river,  traverse  that  peninsula,  pass 
out  by  its  isthmus  or  neck,  and  dislodge  the  enemy  from  the 
heights  near  the  Mystic  river.  This  will  demonstrate  the 
propriety  of  the  Americans  extending  their  encampment  from 
Roxbury  to  this  river. 

General  Gage  had  for  some  time  intended  to  attempt  the 


238  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


first  plan.  By  issuing  from  the  strong  fortifications  of  Boston 
Neck,  he  could  calculate  upon  a  safe  retreat  in  case  he  was 
defeated.  Secrecy,  so  essential  to  insure  success  in  military 
movements,  was,  certainly,  not  favoured  by  the  detention  of 
the  Bostonians  in  their  city,  especially  as  many  carried  news 
to  the  American  army  by  swimming  across  the  rivers,  and  in 
small  boats.  The  plan  of  the  general,  by  some  means,  was 
made  known  to  the  Americans,  who  strengthened  their 
entrenchments  with  parapets  and  palisades ;  concentrated 
their  artillery  and  reinforced  this  part  of  the  army.  These 
dreadful  notes  of  preparation  turned  the  attention  of  the 
English  to  the  Neck  of  Charlestown.  Again  the  secret  was 
divulged,  and  strenuous  endeavours  were  quickly  made  to 
defeat  the  new  project  of  the  enemy,  who  had  intended  to 
fortify  Bunker's  Hill,  on  the  18th  of  June. 

On  Friday,  June  16th,  General  Ward  issued  orders  to 
Colonels  William  Prescott  and  Bridge,  and  to  the  commandant 
of  Colonel  Frye's  regiment,  to  have  their  men  ready  for  im 
mediate  service.  These  were  all  farmers,  habituated  to  hard 
[  labour  in  the  sun.  A  company  of  artillery,  and  120  men 
from  the  Connecticut  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Knowlton,  were  included  in  the  order.  Colonel  Gridley  was 
chief  engineer.  About  9  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a  detachment 
of  1000  men  moved  from  Cambridge,  and  passed  silently  over 
'  Charlestown  Neck ;  but  instead  of  fortifying  the  heights  of 
Bunker's  Hill,  Colonel  Prescott,  with  two  sergeants  carrying 
dark  lanterns  leading  the  way,  advanced  to  Breed's  Hill, 
where  he  entrenched  himself  by  the  rules  of  art. 

Whether  the  colonel  was  determined  to  beard  the  lion  in 
his  den,  or  whether  his  fortifying  Breed's  Hill  was  really  a 
mistake,  as  subsequently  spoken  of  in  an  account  of  the  bat 
tle,  prepared  by  the  Massachusetts  Congress,  we  shall  not 
attempt  to  decide.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  he  placed  the 
garrison  of  Boston  in  the  most  imminent  danger,  and  reduced 
himself  and  the  enemy  to  the  necessity  of  coming  to  action 
without  delay. 

When  the  detachment  had  passed  the  neck,  it  was  for  some 
time  undecided  as  to  the  position  to  be  taken.  Time,  how- 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  239 


ever,  was  too  precious  for  long  deliberation.  The  engineer 
again  and  again  most  earnestly  warned  the  officers  that  longer 
delay  would  defeat  all  their  operations,  and  when  the  clock 
struck  twelve  the  work  was  commenced  on  Breed's  Hill,  and 
carried  on  with  the  most  astonishing  ardour  and  enthusiasm. 
What  is  most  surprising  is,  that  although  the  peninsula  was 
almost  surrounded  with  ships  of  war  and  transports,  the 
Americans  worked  so  silently,  that  they  were  not  heard.  A 
guard  was  stationed  on  the  Charlestown  shore  nearest  to 
Boston  to  prevent  surprise ;  and  Prescott  himself  went  there 
and  heard  from  the  enemy's  sentries,  when  relieving  guard, 
the  cry,  "  All's  well."  He  returned  to  the  hill,  and,  after  a 
short  interval,  thinking  it  could  not  be  possible  that  the  ene 
my  were  so  dull  of  hearing,  he  went  to  the  shore  a  second 
time,  and 'finding  all  quiet,  withdrew  the  guard,  to  make  use 
of  their  hands  instead  of  their  ears,  and  employed  them  on 
the  works. 

The  entrenchments  consisted  of  a  redoubt  and  a  breast 
work,  formed  entirely  of  the  earth  thrown  up  by  the  spade. 
The  redoubt  was  eight  rods  square,  and  the  breastwork 
nearly  four  hundred  feet  long. 

About  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  at  break  of  day,  the  alarm 
was  given  at  Boston,  by  a  cannonade  upon  the  American 
works  from  the  ship  of  war  Lively.  The  English  generals 
could  hardly  credit  their  senses  on  finding  that  the  provin 
cials  had  anticipated  them  in  an  enterprise  upon  which  they 
had  deliberately  decided ;  and  their  energies  were,  for  a  time, 
almost  paralyzed  writh  amazement.  But  no  time  was  to  be 
lost.  The  provincials  were  still  at  work  with  untiring  in 
dustry  ;  and  as  the  height  of  Breed's  Hill  commands  Boston, 
the  city  was  no  longer  tenable,  if  they  were  allowed  time  to 
erect  a  battery  upon  this  eminence. 

A  few  moments  before  the  action,  Dr.  Joseph  Warren,  a 
man  of  great  authority  and  universally  beloved,  arrived  with 
some  reinforcements.  He  had  been  appointed  general  on  the 
14th,  but  had  not  yet  taken  his  commission.  He  served, 
therefore,  as  a  volunteer.  General  Pomeroy,  old  as  he  was, 
borrowed  a  horse  from  General  Ward,  at  Cambridge,  to  has- 


240  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775 


ten  to  the  scene  of  action ;  but  when  he  arrived  at  Charles- 
town  Neck,  apprehensive  that  the  hot  fire  which  raked  it 
might  prove  fatal  to  the  borrowed  horse,  he  gave  him  into 
the  care  of  a  sentry  and  went  on  foot  to  the  field  of  strife, 
\vhere  he  was  received  by  the  Connecticut  troops,  to  wrhom 
his  form  and  countenance  were  wrell  knowrn,  with  the  most 
enthusiastic  applause.  General  Putnam  directed  in  chief, 
holding  himself  ready  to  repair  to  any  place  where  his  pre 
sence  was  wanted. 

The  dreadful  preparations  are  witnessed  by  thousands  of 
people  on  the  neighbouring  hills,  steeples,  and  roofs  of  the 
houses,  with  the  most  intense  anxiety.  The  British  open  a 
general  fire  of  the  artillery  of  Boston,  of  the  fleet,  and  of  the 
floating  batteries  stationed  around  the  Boston  peninsula. 
The  terrible  roar  of  the  artillery  shakes  the  dwellings  far 
and  near,  and  echoes  over  earth  and  sea;  the  air  is  filled 
with  fire,  smoke  and  dust ;  the  bombs  and  balls  fall  upon  the 
American  works  as  thunderbolts  hurled  from  the  sky  amid 
some  unwonted  and  direful  tempest ;  but  still  the  sons  of 
freedom  continue  their  works  with  unshaken  constancy  and 
unabating  courage,  perfectly  consistent  with  the  motto  in 
scribed  upon  their  banners ;  on  one  side  of  wrhich  they  had 
these  words,  "  An  Appeal  to  Heaven''  and  on  the  other  the 
motto  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  "  Qui  transtulit  sustinet" 
He  who  has  brought  us  hither,  preserves  and  supports  us. 
This  was  the  motto  of  their  fathers  after  they  had  fled  from 
tyranny  to  a  place  of  refuge,  and  they  themselves  now  con 
fided  in  the  protection  of  that  same  Providence.  Hour  after 
hour  passed  away,  which  still  found  the  Americans,  almost 
overcome  with  the  excessive  heat  and  fatigue,  labour  inces 
santly,  though 

" fast  and  hot 

Aguinst  them  pour'd  the  ceaseless  shot, 
With  unabating  fury  sent ; 

And  thunder-like  the  pealing  din 
Rose  from  each  heated  culverin ; 
And  here  and  there  some  crackling  dome 
Was  fired  before  the  exploding"  bomb : 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  241 


And  as  the  fabric  sank  beneath 

The  shattering  shell's  volcanic  breath, 

In  red  and  wreathing  columns  flash'd 

The  flame,  as  loud  the  ruin  crash'd ; 

Or  into  countless  meteors  driven, 

Its  earth-stars  melted  into  heaven ; 

Whose  clouds  that  day  grew  doubly  dun, 

Impervious  to  the  hidden  sun, 

With  volumed  smoke,  that  slowly  grew 

To  one  wide  sky  of  sulphurous  hue." 

This  all  ended  in  smoke,  and  the  British  generals  were  con 
vinced  that  there  remained  no  other  hope  of  driving  the 
Americans  from  their  formidable  position  but  by  assault. 

"  Never  was  horde  of  tyrants  met 
With  bloodier  welcome — never  yet 
To  patriot  vengeance  hath  the  sword 
More  terrible  libations  pour'd !" 

The  British  troops  were  put  in  motion ;  and  the  American 
officers  reflected  that  the  trench  of  their  left  wing,  extending 
towards  the  Mystic  river,  did  not  reach  that  river,  and  that 
here  was  their  most  vulnerable  place.  They  resolved  to  ob 
struct  this  passage  by  two  parallel  palisades  of  fence-rails, 
and  fill  up  the  interval  between  them  with  hay  lately  mown, 
and  yet  on  the  field.  Prescott,  who  had  frequently  mounted 
the  works,  with  his  bald  head  uncovered,  and  his  commanding 
form,  seemed  a  true  personification  of  patriotism.  He  infused 
a  new  spirit  into  men  already  full  of  heroic  energy.  When 
he  ordered  a  guard  to  the  ferry  to  prevent  a  landing,  he  was 
seen  by  General  Gage,  who  was  reconnoitring  from  Copp's 
Hill,  in  Boston.  "  Who  is  that  officer,  commanding?"  inquired 
Gage  of  Counsellor  Willard,  by  his  side.  The  answer  was, 
"  Colonel  Prescott ;"  who,  in  fact,  was  Willard's  brother-in- 
law.  «  Will  he  fight  ?"  asked  Gage.  «  Yes,  sir,"  said  the 
other,  "  depend  upon  it,  to  the  last  drop  of  blood  in  him ;  but 
I  cannot  answer  for  his  men."  His  men,  however,  soon 
ans\vered  for  themselves. 

At  noon,  the  British  troops,  about  4000  in  number,  left 
Boston,  and  approached  the  peninsula  in  barges,  formed  in 
two  parallel  lines,  and  landed  at  Moreton's  Point  without 

31  v 


24*2  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 

meeting  resistance,  as  the  n're  of  artillery  protected  the  de- 
barcation,  by  forcing  the  Americans  to  keep  within  their 
entrenchments.  The  enemy  advanced  slowly  against  the 
redoubt  and  trench,  with  their  bright  firelocks  and  bayonets 
glittering  in  the  sun,  halting  from  time  to  time  for  the  artil 
lery  to  come  up,  to  injure  the  works  previous  to  the  assault. 
Nearer  and  nearer  they  came,  in  terrible  array,  commanded 
by  Generals  Howe  and  Pigot ;  Colonels  Nesbit,  Abercrombie, 
and  Clarke ;  Majors  Butler,  Williams,  Bruce,  Spendlove, 
Smelt,  Mitchell,  Pitcairn,  Short,  Small,  and  Lord  Rawdon,&c. 

As  the  Americans  had  no  powder  and  bails  to  wraste,  the 
officers  commanded  tiicir  men  to  suffer  the  enemy  to  approach 
within  eight  rods  of  the  works  before  they  commenced  firing. 
The  men  could  scarcely  be  restrained,  and  a  few  discharged 
their  guns.  Prescott,  in  a  rage  at  this  disobedience,  vowed 
vengeance  to  the  next  who  should  act  contrary  to  his  orders  ; 
promising,  at  the  same  time,  to  give  the  command  at  the 
proper  time.  His  Ik- u tenant-colonel,  Robinson,  mounted  the 
works,  and  ran  round  on  the  top,  knocking  up  the  muskets 
levelled  at  the  enemy.  The  orders  to  fire  were  now  given. 
The  Americans  took  deliberate  aim,  and  one  continuous  blaze 
made  frightful  havoc,  and  soon  crimsoned  the  tall  grass  with 
the  life-blood  of  hundreds  of  the  enemy.  The  front  rank  was 
almost  annihilated,  and  as  others  took  the  place  of  the  slain, 
their  own  blood  soon  swelled  the  dreadful  tide  around  them. 
Some  of  the  Americans  fired  incessantly,  while  others  loaded 
for  them,  thus  giving  a  dreadful  facility  to  mow  do\vn  the 
approaching  enemy.  Some  of  the  wounded  were  seen  crawl 
ing,  with  the  last  energies  of  life,  from  the  gory  heaps  of  the 
dead  and  the  dying,  among  whom  the  officers  bore  the  greatest 
proportion.  The  ranks  of  the  assailants  being  thinned  and 
broken,  they  fled  in  disorder  to  their  place  of  landing,  and 
some  rushed  headlong  into  the  boats.  The  held  was  covered 
with  the  slain.  The  shouts  of  victory  now  inspired  the  souls 
of  men  with  new  and  unwonted  zeal  for  their  sacred  cause, 
while  they  fell  upon  the  ears  of  the"  British  as  harbingers  of 
death  and  disgrace. 

The  venerable  Mr.  Thaxtor,  a  clergyman,  still  knelt  on  the 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  243 


battle-field,  with  his  hands  raised  to  heaven ;  his  grey  head 
exposed  to  the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  the  bullets  hissing  around 
him.  He  prayed  fervently  to  God  for  the  delivery  of  his 
country. 

"  It  was  an  hour  of  fear  and  dread  : 

High  rose  the  battle-cry. 
And  round,  in  heavy  volumes,  spread 

The  war-cloud  to  the  sky. 

'Twas  not  as  when,  in  rival  strength, 

Contending  nations  meet, 
Or  love  of  conquest  madly  hurls 

A  monarch  from  his  seat: 

But  many  a  warm-cemented  tie 

Was  riven  "in  anguish  wild, 
Ere  with  a  iceman's  vengeful  eye 

The  parent  met  the  child. 

O'er  the  green  hill's  beieaguer'd  breast 

Swept  on  the  conflict  high, 
And  many  a  gallant  leader  press'd 

The  trampled   turn  to  die. 

Yet  one  was  there,  unused  to  tread 

The  path  of  mortal  strife, 
Who  but  the  Saviour's  flock  had  led 

Beside  the  fount  of  life. 

He  knelt  him  where  the  black  smoke  wreathed; 

His  head  was  bow'd  and  bare, 
While,  for  an  infant  land,  he  breathed 

The  agony  of  prayer. 

The  shafts  of  death  flew  thick  and  fast, 

'Mid  shrieks  of  ire  and  pain ; 
Wide  waved  his  white  locks  on  the  blast, 

And  round  him  fell  the  slain. 

Yet  still,  with  fervency  intense, 

He  press'd  the  endanger'd  spot, 
The  selfish  thought,  the  shrinking  sense, 

O'ermaster'd  and  forgot. 

'Twould  seem  as  if  a  marble  form, 

Wrought  in  some  quarried  height, 
Were  fix'd  amid  the  battle-storm, 

Save  that  the  eye  was  bright — 


244  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1775. 


Save  that  the  deeply-heaving  breast, 

The  hand,  upraised  in  air, 
The  mute,  yet  moving  lip,  expressed 

That  strong  life  wrestled  there. 

Then  loud,  upon  their  native  soil, 

Peal'd  forth  the  victors'  cry, 
And.  thinn'd  beneath  the  desperate  toil, 

Tne  wearied  host  swept  by. 

But.  'mid»that  new  and  fierce  delight, 

Oh !  chiefs  of  other  days ) 
Gave  ye  your  falchions  broad  and  bright, 

Your  own  right  arms  the  praise  ' 

Or  thought  ye  still  how  many  a  prayer, 

Amid  the  deathfu!    fray. 
From  cottage  homes  and  hearts  of  care, 

Upheld  your  host  that  day? 

The  column,  red  with  early  morn, 

May  tower  o'er  Bunker's  height, 
And  proudly  tell  a  race  unborn 

Their  patriot  fathers'  might: — 

But  thou.  oh!  patriarch,  old  and  grey, 

Thou  prophet  of  the  free, 
Who  knelt  amid  the  dead  that  day, 

What  fame  shall  rise  to  thee? 

It  is  not  meet  that  brass  or  stone, 

Which  feel  the  touch  of  tune, 
Should  keep  the  record  of  a  faith 

That  woke  thy  deed  sublime: 

We  trace  it  on  a  tablet  fair. 

Which  glows  when  stars  are  pale, 
A  promise  that  the  good  man's  prayer 

Shall  with  his  God  prevail" 

The  Britisli  officers  were  running  in  every  direction  after 
the>  repulse,  with  promises,  exhortations,  and  with  threats, 
attempting  to  rally  the  scattered  troops  for  a  second  attack. 
General  Howe  sent  orders  to  Burgoyne  and  Clinton,  (who 
were  on  Copp's  Hill,  in  Boston,  from  which  a  fire  of  artillery 
had  been  kept  up  during  the  day,)  to  fire  Charlestown.  One 
object  of  Howe  probably  was,  that  the  fire  and  smoke  might 


1775.]  HE  VOLUTION.  245 


cover  his  advance ;  another,  to  dislodge  the  Americans  who 
had  taken  shelter  there,  and  had  annoyed  the  British  left 
wing.  Carcasses  are  thrown  from  Copp's  Hill  into  the  fated 
town,  which  is  soon  enveloped  in  flames,  which,  excited  by 
the  wind,  spread  rapidly  into  a  fearful  conflagration. 

The  British  having  again  advanced  near  the  entrenchments, 
the  Americans,  who  as  before,  had  reserved  their  fire  until 
it  could  take  full  effect,  showered  another  volley  of  bullets 
on  the  enemy.  "  To  the  volleys  of  musketry  and  the  roar 
of  cannon  ;  to  the  shouts  of  the  fighting  and  the  groans  of  the 
dying ;  to  the  dark  and  awful  atmosphere  of  smoke,  envelop 
ing  the  whole  peninsula,  and  illumined  in  every  quarter  by 
the  streams  of  fire  from  the  various  instruments  of  death;  the 
conflagration  of  six  hundred  buildings  added  a  gloomy  and 
amazing  grandeur.  In  the  midst  of  this  waving  lake  of 
flame,  the  lofty  steeple,  converted  into  a  blazing  pyramid, 
I  towered  and  trembled  over  the  vast  pyre,  and  finished  the 
I  scene  of  desolation."  Overwhelmed  and  routed,  the  British 
again  fled  to  their  landing.  A  second  time  the  shouts  of  vic 
tory  ascended  to  the  skies,  while  joy  reigned  triumphant  in 
every  patriotic  breast. 

"  The  hot  air  shakes !  the  mountains  jar ! 
As  echo  rolls  the  din  afar, 

Through  ail  their  startled  caves. 
Hark  that  fierce  shout ! — the  field  is  won  ! 
Awakes  the  breeze, — out  bursts  the  sun ! 
Whose  banners  catch  his  glowing  dyes, 
As  back  the  driven  war-cloud  flies  1 
Freedom  ! — what  host  from  vengeance  flies  ?• 

A  despot's  beaten  slaves !" 

The  fire  of  the  artillery  and  musketry  ceased  for  a  time ; 
the  suffocating  smoke  rolled  away,  disclosing  an  awful  spec 
tacle  to  the  soldiers  and  the  swarms  of  spectators  of  every 
rank,  age,  and  sex,  on  the  houses,  the  hills,  and  the  circum 
jacent  fields.  They  heard  the  agonizing  yells,  the  piercing 
shrieks,  the  prayers  and  invocations,  the  oaths  and  impreca 
tions  of  the  wounded,  mingled  in  horrible  discord,  more  dire 
ful  than  the  noise  of  battle  itself. 

v* 


246  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY-  [1775. 


The  British,  after  these  terrible  defeats,  were  placed  in  a 
woful  dilemma :  to  allow  the  Americans  to  remain  would  not 
only  be  a  tacit  acknowledgment  of  their  superiority,  but,  as 
already  stated,  render  the  city  untenable  ?  and  to  retreat  in 
their  armed  vessels,  of  which  they  had  about  thirty  in  Boston 
harbour,  even  if  their  pride  could  bend  to  such  a  humiliating 
measure,  prudence  would  forbid,  as  severely  injuring  the 
morale  of  their  army,  while  it  greatly  improved  that  of  the 
provincials.  To  march  up  to  the  American  redoubt  to  be 
shot  down,  was  the  other  horn  of  the  dilemma.  Some  of  the 
British  officers  actually  began  to  remonstrate  against  leading 
the  men  to  another  butchery,  but  their  remonstrances  were 
disdainfully  repelled  by  the  others. 

General  Clinton,  on  seeing  the  ill  fortune  of  his  troops, 
had  passed  over  from  Copp's  Hill  to  their  assistance.  He 
re-established  order,  and,  supported  by  the  other  officers,  who 
felt  the  importance  of  success,  he  led  the  troops  to  a  third 
attack.  The  result  of  this  would,  unquestionably,  have  been 
the  same  as  before,  but  unfortunately  for  the  Americans,  their 
ammunition  was  nearly  exhausted.  Their  fire  languished 
and  died  away,  while  the  enemy  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the 
redoubt.  The  muskets  of  the  Americans  being  destitute  of 
bayonets,  they  used  the  butt-end  of  them  to  defend  themselves ! 
This  unexampled  resistance  was  a  sublime  demonstration  of 
the  moral  force  of  men  determined  to  be  free.  But  as  the 
redoubt  was  already  full  of  enemies,  to  continue  the  battle 
any  longer  would  be  folly  rather  than  courage.  The  signal 
of  retreat  \vas  given,  and  our  heroic  fathers  retired.  The 
only  way  to  leave  the  peninsula  was  by  the  same  isthmus 
over  which  they  had  entered.  This  was  incessantly  raked 
by  the  balls  of  a  ship  of  war  and  two  floating  batteries. 
The  Americans,  however,  passed  over  the  neck  without  sus 
taining  much  injury,  and  joined  the  main  army.  Prescott 
repaired  to  head-quarters  to  make  return  of  his  trust,  at  the 
same  time  imploring  General  Ward  to  commit  to  him  three 
fresh  regiments,  and  he  would  win  back  the  field.  But  he 
was  told  that  he  had  already  honourably  accomplished  all 
that  his  countrv  could  demand. 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  247 


In  this  engagement  the  enemy  lost  '*2'2G  killed  (amoii£  whom 
was  Major  Pitcairne,  who  iirst  lighted  the  torch  of  war  at 
Lexington)  and  8*28  wounded.  The  Americans  io<  13U  killed, 
and  314  were  wounded  and  missing.  Among  the  killed  was 
the  lamented  General  Warren,  president  of  the  provincial 
Congress,  and  chairman  of  the  committee  of  safety,  which 
exercised  the  executive  power  of  the  province  of  Massachu 
setts,  He  was  killed  during  the  retreat.  Despising  all  dan 
ger,  he  placed  himself  before  the  ranks  to  rally  his  corps  by 
his  example,  and  make  the  retreat  in  safety.  An  English 
officer,  who  knew  the  doctor,  borrowed  a  musket  of  one  of 
his  soldiers,  took  deliberate  aim  and  killed  him  instantly. 
"Warren  was  one  of  those  men  who  are  more  attached  to 
liberty  than  to  existence,  but  not  more  ardently  the  friend 
of  freedom,  than  foe  to  avarice  and  ambition.  He  was  en 
dowed  with  a  solid  judgment,  a  happy  genius,  and  a  brilliant 
eloquence-  In  all  private  affairs,  his  opinion  was  reputed 
authority,  and  in  all  public  councils,  a  decision.  Friends 
and  enemies,  equally  knowing  his  fidelity  and  rectitude  in 
all  things,  reposed  in  him  a  confidence  without  limits.  Op 
posed  to  the  wicked,  without  hatred ;  propitious  to  the  good, 
without  adulation ;  affable,  courteous,  and  humane  towards 
each,  he  was  beloved  with  reverence  by  all,  and  respected 
by  envy  itself.  Though  in  his  person  somewhat  spare,  his 
figure  was  peculiarly  agreeable.  He  mourned,  at  this  epoch, 
the  recent  loss  of  a  wife,  by  whom  he  was  tenderly  beloved, 
and  whom  he  cherished  with  reciprocal  affection.  In  dying 
so  gloriously  for  his  country,  on  this  memorable  day,  he  left 
several  orphans,  still  in  childhood  ;  but  a  grateful  country 
assumed  the  care  of  their  education.  Thus  was  lost  to  the 
state,  and  to  his  family,  in  so  important  a  crisis,  and  in  the 
vigour  of  his  days,  a  man  equally  qualified  to  excel  in  council 
or  in  the  field.''  -~ 

The  results  of  this  battle  were  the  same  as  a  decided  victory, 
upon  the  winds  of  a  people  who  must  conquer  by  moral  force. 
They  found  out  that  the  enemy  were  not  invulnerable ;  and 
this  encouraged  them  to  continued  resistance. 

The  British,  because  they  took  the  field,  claimed  the  victory, 


248  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1775. 


but  they  might  have  exclaimed  with  Pyrrhus,  "  If  we  gain 
such  another,  we  are  inevitably  ruined." 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  General  Gage  to 
Lord  Dartmouth,  may  serve  to  give  an  idea  of  the  effect  the 
battle  produced  on  the  minds  of  the  British  :  , 

"  The  success,  of  which  I  send  your  lordship  an  account 
by  the  present  opportunity,  was  very  necessary  in  our  present 
situation,  and  I  wish,  most  sincerely,  that  it  had  not  cost  us 
so  dear.  The  number  of  killed  and  wounded  is  greater  than 
our  forces  can  afford  to  lose.  The  officers,  who  were  obliged 
to  exert  themselves,  have  suffered  very  much,  and  we  have 
lost  some  extremely  good  officers.  The  trials  we  have  had, 
show  the  rebels  are  not  the  despicable  rabble  too  many  have 
supposed  them  to  be ;  and  I  find  it  owing  to  a  military  spirit, 
encouraged  among  them  for  a  few  years  past,  joined  with  an 
uncommon  degree  of  zeal  and  enthusiasm,  that  they  are  other 
wise.  When  they  find  cover,  they  make  a  good  stand,  and 
the  country,  naturally  strong,  affords  it  to  them ;  and  they 
are  taught  to  assist  its  natural  strength  by  art,  for  they  en 
trench  and  raise  batteries.  [!]  They  have  fortified  all  the 
heights  and  passes  around  this  town,  from  Dorchester  to 
Medford  or  Mystick,  and  it  is  not  impossible  for  them  to 
annoy  the  town. 

"  Your  lordship  will  perceive  that  the  conquest  of  this 
country  is  not  easy,  and  can  be  effected  only  by  time  and 
perseverance,  and  strong  armies  attacking  it  in  various  quar 
ters,  and  dividing  their  forces.  Confining  your  operations  on 
this  side  only,  is  attacking  in  the  strongest  part,  and  you  have 
to  cope  with  vast  numbers.  It  might  naturally  be  supposed 
that  troops,  of  the  nature  of  the  rebel  army,  would  return 
home  after  such  a  check  as  they  had  got ;  and  I  hear  many 
wanted  to  go  off,  but  care  has  been  taken  to  prevent  it ;  for 
any  man  that  returns  home  without  a  pass  is  immediately 
seized  and  sent  back  to  his  regiment.  In  all  their  wars 
against  the  French,  they  never  showed  so  much  conduct, 
attention,  and  perseverance  as  they  do  now.  I  think  it  my 
duty  to  let  your  lordship  know  the  true  situation  of  affairs, 
that  administration  may  take  measures  accordingly. 


1775.]  REVOLUTION,  249 


"  The  people's  minds  are  kept  so  much  heated  and  inflamed, 
that  they  are  always  ripe  for  everything  that  is  extravagant. 
Truth  is  kept  from  them,  and  they  are  too  full  of  prejudice 
to  believe  it,  if  laid  before  them,  and  so  blind  and  bigoted, 
that  they  cannot  see  that  they  have  exchanged  liberty  for 
tyranny,  [i]  No  people  were  ever  governed  more  absolutely 
than  those  of  the  American  provinces  now  are,  and  no  reason 
can  be  given  for  their  submission,  but  that  it  is  a  tyranny 
they  have  erected  themselves,  as  they  believe,  to  avoid  greater 
evils." 

The  following  observations  on  the  government  account  of 
the  action  near  Charle^town,  were  published  in  an  opposition 
paper  in  London. 

"  There  are  two  sorts  of  persons  who  always  persevere 
uniformly,  and  without  shame,  in  one  unvaried  line  of  conduct, 
regardless  of  the  contempt  and  detestation  of  mankind.  The 
sorts  I  mean  are  the  thorough  virtuous,  and  the  thorough 
scoundrel. 

"  To  one  of  these  classes,  most  evidently,  belong  the  minis 
ters,  who  settled  the  account  which  they  have  given  us  in 
last  Tuesday's  Gazette. 

"  The  action  near  Boston  happened  on  the  17th  of  June, 
yet  General  Gage's  letter  is  dated  eight  days  after,  on  the 
25th  of  June. 

"  By  this  letter  it  appears  that  it  has  cost  one  thousand 
and  fifty-four  of  the  troops,  killed  and  wounded,  to  destroy  a 
redoubt  thrown  up  only  the  overnight,  i.  e.,  on* the  16th  of 
June.  '  The  loss  of  the  provincials,'  the  letter  says, '  must 
have  been  considerable  ;'  yet,  eight  days  after  the  action,  the 
general,  though  completely  victorious,  can  tell  us  only  of 
'  one  hundred'  buried,  and  '  thirty'  wounded. 

"But  '  they  had  carried  off  great  numbers  during  the  time 
of  the  action.'  Did  they  so  ?  That  is  no  great  sign  of  flight, 
confusion,  and  defeat. 

"  But  '  they  buried  them  in  holes.'  Really  !  why,  are  our 
soldiers  buried  in  the  air  ? 

"  But  '  the  king's  troops  were  under  every  disadvantage.' 
So,  truly,  it  seems;  for,  in  the  same  letter,  we  are  told/  that 


250  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 

they  had  a  proportion  of  field-artillery,  and  landed  on  the 
peninsula  without  opposition,  and  formed,  as  soon  as  landed, 
under  the  protection  of  some  ships  of  war,  armed  vessels,  and 
boats,  by  whose  fire  the  rebels  were  kept  within  their  works.' 

"  But  '  this  action  has  shown  the  superiority  of  the  king's 
troops.'  Has  it,  indeed?  How?  Why,  they  (with  a  pro 
portion  of  field-artillery,  and  with  the  assistance  of  ships, 
armed  vessels,  and  boats,  and  with  the  encouragement  of  cer 
tain  and  speedy  reinforcements,  if  necessary)  attacked  and 
defeated  *  above  three  times  their  own  numbers.'  What, 
three  times  their  own  numbers  ?  Of  whom,  pray  ?  Of  French 
or  Spanish  regulars  ?  No,  of  the  Americans.  Of  the  Ame 
ricans  !  What,  of  those  dastardly,  hypocritical  cowards, 
who  (Lord  Sandwich  knows)  do  not  feel  bold  enough  to  dare 
to  look  a  soldier  in  the  face?  Of  those  undisciplined  and 
spiritless  Yankees,  who  were  to  be  driven  from  one  end  of 
the  continent  to  the  other,  with  a  single  regiment?  What, 
of  those  skulking  assassins,  who  can  only  fire  at  a  distance, 
from  behind  stone  walls  and  hedges  ?  Was  it  necessary  to 
defeat  these  fellows,  that  the  troops  should  be  '  spirited '  by 
the  example  of  General  Howe,  assisted  by  General  Clinton  ? 
And  can  it  be,  that  Lieutenant-Colonels  Nesbit,  Abercrombie, 
and  Clarke;  Majors  Butler,  Williams,  Bruce,  Spendlove, 
Smelt,  Mitchell,  Pitcairne,  and  Short,  should  be  forced  to 
exert  themselves  remarkably  against  such  poltroons  ? 

"  Good  God !  is  it  come  to  this  at  last  ?  Can  the  regulars, 
with  all  these  exertions,  only  defeat  three  times  their  own 
number  of  undisciplined  cowards  ?  and  that,  too,  at  the  ex 
pense  of  one  thousand  and  fifty-four  (that  is,  more  than  one- 
half)  killed  and  wounded,  out  of  something  above  two  thou 
sand  ? 

"  Is  every  redoubt  which  the  Americans  can  throw  up  in 
a  short  summer  night  to  be  demolished  at  this  expense  ?  How 
many  such  victories  can  we  bear ? 

'     *.-  %s  ^=  %  :£  *•  3P  *    '  *  # 

"  To  be  serious,  I  am,  for  my  own  part,  convinced  that  the 
event  of  this  execrable  dragooning  is  decided ;  and  that  be 
fore  winter,  there  will  not  be  a  single  soldier  of  Lord  Bute's 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  251 

and  Lord  Mansfield's  mercenary  troops  left  upon  the  conti 
nent  of  America."  * 

The  pathetic  eulogiums  pronounced  on  those  that  were 
slain  in  battle,  had  a  powerful  effect  on  the  minds  of  the 
American  people,  as  the  reader  may  readily  conceive  on  read 
ing  the  following  eulogium  on  Dr,  Warren,  published  in  a 
Philadelphia  paper ; 

"  What  spectacle  more  noble  than  this,  of  a  hero  who  has 
given  his  life  for  the  safety  of  his  country  ?  Approach,  cruel 
ministers,  and  contemplate  the  fruits  of  your  sanguinary 
edicts.  What  reparation  can  you  offer  to  his  children  for  the 
loss  of  such  a  father,  to  the  king  for  that  of  so  good  a  sub 
ject,  to  the  country  for  that  of  so  devoted  a  citizen?  Send 
hither  your  satellites ;  come,  feast  your  vindictive  rage ;  the 
most  implacable  enemy  to  tyrants  is  no  more.  We  conjure 

I  you,  respect  these  his  honoured  remains,,  Have  compassion 
on  the  fate  of  a  mother  overwhelmed  with  despair  and  with 

I  age.  Of  him  nothing  is  left  that  you  can  still  fear.  His  elo 
quence  is  mute;  his  arms  are  fallen  from  his  hand;  then  lay 
down  yours ;  what  more  have  you  to  perpetrate,  barbarians 
that  you  are?  But.  while  the  name  of  American  liberty 
shall  live,  that  of  Warren  will  fire  our  breasts,  and  animate 
our  arms,  against  the  pest  of  standing  armies, 

"  Approach,  senators  of  America !  Come  and  deliberate 
here  upon  the  interests  of  the  United  Colonies.  Listen  to 
the  voice  of  this  illustrious  citizen  ;  he  entreats,  he  exhorts,  he 
implores  you  not  to  disturb  his  present  felicity  with  the  doubt 
that  he  perhaps  has  sacrificed  his  life  for  a  people  of  slaves. 
4£  Come  hither,  ye  soldiers,  ye  champions  of  American 
liberty,  and  contemplate  a  spectacle  which  should  inflame 
your  generous  hearts  with  even  a  new  motive  to  glory.  Re 
member,  his  shade  still  hovers  unexpiated  among  us.  Ten 
thousand  ministerial  soldiers  would  not  suffice  to  compensate 
his  death.  Let  ancient  ties  be  no  restraint,  foes  of  liberty 
are  no  longer  the  brethren  of  freemen.  Give  edge  to  your 
arms,  and  lay  them  not.  down  till  tyranny  be  expelled  from 
the  British  empire :  or  America,  at  least,  become  the  real 
seat  of  liberty  and  happiness- 


252  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 

"Approach  ye,  also,  American  fathers  and  American  mothers; 
come  hither,  and  contemplate  the  first-fruits  of  tyranny ;  be 
hold  your  friend,  the  defender  of  your  liberty,  the  honour,  the 
hope  of  your  country ;  see  this  illustrious  hero,  pierced  with 
wounds,  and  bathed  in  his  own  blood.  But  let  not  grief,  let 
not  your  tears  be  steril.  Go,  hasten  to  your  homes,  and  there 
teach  your  children  to  detest  the  deeds  of  tyranny  ;  lay  before 
them  the  horrid  scene  you  have  beheld ;  let  their  hair  stand 
on  end ;  let  their  eyes  sparkle  with  fire  ;  let  resentment  kindle 
every  feature  ;  let  their  lips  vent  threats  and  indignation ; 
then — then — put  arms  into  their  hands,  send  them  to  battle, 
and  let  your  last  injunction  be,  to  return  victorious,  or  to  die, 
like  Warren,  in  the  arms  of  liberty  and  of  glory ! 

"And  ye,  generations  of  the  future,  will  often  look  back  to 
this  memorable  epoch.  You  will  transfer  the  names  of  trai 
tors,  and  of  rebels,  from  the  faithful  people  of  America  to 
those  who  have  merited  them.  Your  eyes  will  penetrate  all 
the  iniquity  of  this  scheme  of  despotism,  recently  plotted  by 
the  British  government.  You  will  see  good  kings  misled  by 
perfidious  ministers,  and  virtuous  ministers  by  perfidious  kings. 
You  will  perceive,  that  if  at  first  the  sovereigns  of  Great 
Britain  shed  tears  in  commanding  their  subjects  to  accept 
atrocious  laws,  they  soon  gave  themselves  up  to  joy  in  the 
midst  of  murder,  expecting  to  see  the  whole  continent  drenched 
in  the  blood  of  freemen.  Oh !  save  the  human  race  from  the 
last  outrages,  and  render  a  noble  justice  to  the  American 
colonies.  Recall  to  life  the  ancient  Roman  and  British  elo 
quence,  and  be  not  niggardly  of  merited  praises  towards 
those  who  have  bequeathed  you  liberty.  It  costs  us  floods  of 
gold  and  of  blood;  it  costs  us,  alas !  the  life  of  Warren." 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  253 


CHAPTER  V. 

Meeting  of  second  Continental  Congress — Washington  appointed  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  American  Army — Arrives  at  Cambridge — Reception  by  the  Army 
— Other  Acts  of  Congress  to  defend  the  Country — Expedition  against  Canada — 
Death  of  Montgomery— Troubles  in  Virginia— Flight  of  the  Governor— Burning 
of  Hampton  and  Norfolk. 

"  His  life  was  gentle ;  and  the  elements 
So  mix'd  in  him,  that  Nature  might  stand  up. 
And  say  to  all  the  world,   This  was  a  man  /" 

"  He  was  a  man,  take  him  for  all  in  all. 
We  shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again." 

-•  is  my  face  pale  with  fear  1 

Why  dost  thou  think  to  darken  my  soul  with  the  tales  of  those  who  fell  ?" 

"  Warrior,  we  can  fall,  but  we  shall  fall  with  renown." 

ON  the  10th  of  May.  the  second  Continental  Congress  con 
vened  at  Philadelphia.  As  the  Americans  had  now  fairly 
embarked  in  a  war  against  British  oppression,  it  became  ne 
cessary  for  Congress  to  turn  their  attention  to  the  condition 
of  the  army  that  blockaded  Boston. 

All  the  generals  then  in  command  had  received  their  au 
thority  from  the  colonial  Assemblies,  and  therefore  had  no 
power  to  command  an  army  in  the  name  of  the  whole  country. 
To  appoint  a  commander-in-chief,  possessed  in  a  pre-eminent 
degree  of  prudence,  firmness,  and  energy,  who  would  stand 
up  like  a  mighty  Colossus  against  the  most  powerful  nation 
on  the  earth,  in  defence  of  a  people  yet  in  their  infancy,  a 
Hercules  in  the  cradle ;  a  man,  whose  name  and  influence 
could  gain  the  respect,  and  command  the  obedience  of  a 
people  unaccustomed  to  military  restraint ;  was  a  matter  of 
deep  and  vital  importance.  The  illustrious  sages  and  patriots 
who  composed  this  Congress,  felt  the  responsibility.  The 
welfare  of  the  present  and  of  future  generations  would,  in  a 
great  measure,  depend  upon  their  selection. 

On  the  15th  of  June  they  proceeded  to  an  election  by 
ballot,  when  it  was  found  that  GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  a  mem- 

w 


254  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1775. 


ber  of  their  own  body,  from  Virginia,  was  unanimously 
elected.  Every  nation  and  generation  will  always  acknow 
ledge  the  wisdom  of  this  choice  to  insure  success.  The  very 
nation  against  whom  he  contended  successfully,  have  since 
graced  their  Encyclopedias  with  a  faithful  delineation  of  his 
illustrious  qualities.  The  following  description  of  the  cha 
racter  of  Washington,  by  Spark,  is  probably  one  of  the  most 
faithful  that  has  been  given  ;  >•'  It  is  the  harmonious  union  of 
the  intellectual  and  moral  powers,  rather  than  the  splendour 
of  any  one  trait,  which  constitutes  the  grandeur  of  his  cha 
racter.  If  the  title  of  great  man  ought  to  be  reserved  for 
him,  who  cannot  be  charged  with  an  indiscretion  or  a  vice, 
who  spent  his  life  in  establishing  the  independence,  the  glory, 
and  durable  prosperity  of  his  country,  who  succeeded  in  all 
that  he  undertook,  and  whose  successes  were  never  won  at 
the  expense  of  honour,  justice,  integrity,  or  by  the  sacrifice 
of  a  single  principle,  this  title  will  not  be  denied  to  Wash 
ington." 

Naturally  modest  and  reserved,  when  his  election  was 
announced  by  the  president  of  Congress,  he  rose,  and  said  that 
he  returned  his  most  cordial  thanks  to  Congress,  for  the  honour 
they  had  conferred  upon  him :  "  but,"  said  he,  "  lest  some 
unlucky  event  should  happen,  unfavourable  to  my  reputation, 
I  beg  it  may  be  remembered,  by  every  gentleman  in  the 
room,  that  I  this  day  declared,  with  the  utmost  sincerity,  I  do 
not  think  myself  equal  to  the  command  I  am  honoured  with. 

"  As  to  pay,  sir,  I  beg  leave  to  assure  the  Congress,  that 
as  no  pecuniary  considerations  could  have  tempted  me  to 
accept  this  arduous  employment,  at  the  expense  of  my 
domestic  ease  and  happiness,  I  do  not  wish  to  make  any 
profit  by  it.  I  will  keep  an  exact  account  of  my  expenses. 
Those,  I  doubt  not,  they  will  discharge,  and  that  is  all  I 
desire." 

On  presenting  his  commission,  Congress  adopted  A  resolu 
tion  :  "  that  they  would  maintain  and  assist  him,  and  adhere 
to  him  with  their  lives  and  fortunes  in  the  cause  of  American 
liberty." 

Desirous    to   have   other   experienced   and    distinguished 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  255 


officers  at  the  head  of  the  army  to  assist  Washington,  Con 
gress  appointed  Artemus  Ward,  first  major-general ;  Charles 
Lee,  second  major-general ;  Philip  Schuyler,  third  major- 
general  ;  and  Israel  Putnam,  fourth  major-general :  Horatio 
Gates  was  appointed  adjutant-general.  A  few  days  after, 
eight  brigadier-generals  were  appointed :  Seth  Pomeroy, 
William  Heath,  and  John  Thomas,  of  Massachusetts :  Richard 
Montgomery,  of  New  York;  David  Wooster  and  Joseph 
Spencer,  of  Connecticut :  John  Sullivan,  of  New  Hampshire, 
and  Nathaniel  Greene,  of  Rhode  Island.  The  history  of  the 
subsequent  achievements  of  these  men  forms  the  best  com-  j 
mentary  on  the  wisdom  of  Congress  in  their  selection. 

Fifteen  days  after  he  received  his  commission,  Washington 
arrived  at  head-quarters,  in  Cambridge,  in  company  with 
General  Lee  and  several  other  gentlemen.  He  was  received 
everywhere,  on  his  way,  with  the  greatest  honours,  and  by 
the  army  with  joyous  acclamations.  The  distant  woods,  hills, 
and  valleys  shouted  again  and  conveyed  the  glad  tidings  over 
the  land. 

Having  reviewed  the  army,  Washington  found  among  a 
great  multitude  only  14,000  men  in  a  condition  for  the  service. 
The  right  of  the  army  still  rested  on  Roxbury.  under  General 
Ward,  and  the  left  was  posted  on  Prospect  Hill,  near  the 
Mystic  river,  under  General  Lee,  while  the  main  army  was 
at  Cambridge,  under  the  guardianship  of  the  commander-in- 
chief.  The  American  army  was  in  want  of  almost  every 
thing  except  courage,  and  a  determination  to  defend  their 
rights.  There  had  been  a  great  scarcity  of  powder  from  the 
commencement  of  the  war :  and  all  the  powder  they  had  now 
amounted  to  only  about  10,000  pounds.  The  men  were 
uniform  in  nothing  except  in  mind,  and  in  the  want  of  bayo 
nets.  Even  their  rifles  were  of  different  calibres,  which 
obliged  them  to  hammer  the  balls  to  make  them  fit.  There 
was  also  a  great  want  of  order  and  discipline.  Washington 
immediately  commenced  to  restore  the  one  and  instruct  them 
in  the  other.  This  was  a  difficult  and  delicate  undertaking 
with  men  not  accustomed  to  restraint ;  but  the  wisdom  and 
firmness  of  the  commander-in-chief,  aided  by  Congress,  over- 


256  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


came  these  difficulties,  and  the  camp  presented  the  appearance 
of  a  regular  army.  Redoubts  were  thrown  up,  and  mounted 
so  formidable  an  artillery  along  the  line  of  circumvallation, 
that  the  enemy  could  not  have  taken  Cambridge  by  assault, 
to  open  a  way  into  the  country.  Thus  the  siege,  or  at  least 
the  blockade  by  land,  wras  perfect.  A  supply  of  powder  wras 
soon  received.  Congress  raised  a  number  of  riflemen  in 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  to  march  to  Boston  to  serve  as 
light  infantry ;  and,  on  receiving  the  news  of  the  battle  of 
Breed's  Hill,  it  was  decreed  that  two  companies  more  should 
be  levied  in  Pennsylvania.  These  companies,  composed  of 
about  1400  men,  lightly  clothed  and  armed  with  good  rifles, 
arrived  at  camp  about  the  beginning  of  August. 

A  resolution  of  Congress  recommended  to  the  colonies  to  put 
themselves  in  a  state  of  defence,  to  be  provided  with  men,  arms, 
and  ammunition.  The  men,  from  sixteen  to  fifty  years  of  age, 
formed  themselves  into  regular  companies,  and  exercised 
themselves  in  wielding  their  arms.  Manufactories  of  gun 
powder  and  cannon-foundries  were  soon  rising,  and  the  views 
of  Congress,  seconded  by  the  colonial  Assemblies,  were  obeyed 
and  carried  out  by  the  people  with  the  greatest  promptitude. 

The  old  man's  company  was  formed  in  Philadelphia,  com 
posed  of  old  German  emigrants,  the  oldest  of  whom,  being 
nearly  100  years  of  age,  was  elected  captain.  Indeed,  al 
though  the  desire  of  Congress  to  arm  the  country  was  ful 
filled  in  all  the  colonies,  yet  in  none  was  it  executed  with 
more  ardour  than  throughout  Pennsylvania.  Not  only  did 
8000  men  frequently  meet  in  Philadelphia  and  manoeuvre  in 
the  presence  of  Congress,  but  in  every  country  town  through 
out  the  colony  these  parades  were  constantly  to  be  seen. 
The  German  and  Swiss  inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania,  distin 
guished  for  their  honesty,  industry,  and  patriotism,  formed 
then,  as  their  descendants  do  now,  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the 
state,  and  have  ever  since,  in  most  instances,  elected  governors 
of  German  or  Swiss  descent. 

Even  the  ladies  raised  and  equipped  a  regiment  at  Bristol, 
in  this  state;  not  of  ladies,  of  course,  but  of  men,  at  the  expense 
of  the  ladies.  The  banners  they  embroidered  with  their  own 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  257 


hands ;  and  on  presenting  them,  one  of  the  ladies,  in  an  eloquent 
speech,  told  the  soldiers  never  to  run  away  from  the  banners 
of  the  American  ladies.  And  now  let  the  enemy  remember 
it  is  always  prudent  to  avoid  the  regiments  who  march  under 
the  banners  of  the  ladies.  They  are  absolutely  invincible  ! 
What !  such  men  come  home  and  look  those  ladies  in  the  face 
without  the  banners  !  Ridiculous  ;  no  man  would  ever  dream 
of  such  a  thing ! 

Congress,  in  order  to  establish  their  authority  on  regular 
laws,  sanctioned  by  the  people,  and  to  cement  the  union  of 
the  colonies,  drew  up  and  published  articles  of  confederation, 
in  which  the  colonists  "  bound  themselves  and  their  posterity, 
for  the  common  defence  against  enemies,  for  the  protection  of 
liberty  and  property,  as  also  their  persons,  and  of  the  pros 
perity  of  America."  These  were  afterwards  adopted  by  all 
the  colonies,  preparing  the  way  for  a  final  separation  from 
Great  Britain,  of  the  necessity  and  propriety  of  which,  the 
rhembers  of  Congress,  as  well  as  many  others,  were  convinced 
long  before  they  considered  it  prudent  to  publish  their 
opinions. 

While  the  provincial  army  was  encamped  before  Boston, 
and  Washington  wras  employed  in  preparing  for  future  ope 
rations,  Congress,  having  reason  to  anticipate  the  invasion  of 
the  colonies  from  Canada,  planned  an  expedition  against  that 
province.  The  discontent  among  the  inhabitants,  who  were 
still  French  at  heart,  and  who  cherished  a  hatred  against  a 
late  act  of  Parliament,  which,  although  it  favoured  their  reli 
gion,  replaced  them  under  the  ancient  nobility,  whom  they 
hated,  it  was  supposed  that,  if  an  American  army  would 
penetrate  into  the  country,  the  inhabitants  would  favour  their 
cause  as  a  favourable  opportunity  to  free  themselves  from  the 
British  yoke. 

The  troops  had  nearly  all  been  withdrawn  to  Boston,  where 
they  were  now  shut  up,  and  the  province  was  left  compara 
tively  defenceless ;  but  the  following  spring  numerous  forces 
would  probably  be  poured  in  to  attack  the  colonies  in  the 
rear,  an  event  which  might  be  attended  with  the  most  disas 
trous  consequences.  The  design  of  the  Americans  was  also 

3^  -vtr  v- 

<j»  W 


258  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1775. 


encouraged  by  the  possession  of  Ticonderoga  and  Crown 
Point,  which  formed  the  key  to  the  province,  and  would 
greatly  facilitate  their  efforts. 

Defensive  war  must  assume  an  offensive  character  to  be 
come  the  more  effectual ;  and  as  the  enemy  were  the  aggress 
ors,  and  had  resolved  on  continuing  the  war,  it  was  expedient 
and  proper  to  invade  their  dominions. 

Three  thousand  troops  were  selected  from  New  England 
and  New7  York,  and  placed  under  the  command  of  Brigadier- 
Generals  Wooster  and  Montgomery,  under  the  direction  of 
Major-General  Schuyler, 

As  the  troops  must  traverse  Lake  Champlain,  the  river 
Sorel  and  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  to  reach  Canada,  orders 
had  been  given  to  construct  flat-bottomed  boats  at  Ticonde 
roga,  and  at  Crown  Point,  to  convey  the  troops  to  the  places 
necessary  to  fulfil  the  design  of  the  enterprise. 

The  bills  of  credit  thrown  into  circulation  by  Congress,  it 
was  well  known,  would  not  be  received  in  Canada,  and  an 
effort  was  made  to  collect  50,000  dollars  in  specie.  At  the 
same  time,  the  friendship  of  the  Indians  on  the  Mohawk 
river  was  cultivated  by  General  Schuyler,  who  possessed  a 
powerful  influence  over  them,  and  who  had  remained  in  Al 
bany  for  that  purpose. 

Montgomery  had  already  gone  to  Crown  Point  with  a  part 
of  the  army,  where  he  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  rest. 
Having  heard  that  Carleton,  the  enterprising  and  talented 
Governor  of  Canada,  had  caused  a  large  brig  to  be  con 
structed  and  armed,  with  a  number  of  other  vessels  of  less 
force,  to  be  stationed  in  the  river  Sorel,  at  the  outlet  of  Lake 
Champlain,  to  interdict  the  passage  of  the  Americans  into 
Canada,  he  determined  to  prevent  it  by  moving  rapidly  with 
a  few  troops  to  occupy  He  aux  Noix,  a  little  island  situated 
upon  the  entrance  of  the  river,  commanding  the  entrance  into 
the  lake. 

Here  General  Schuyler  now  also  arrived  from  Albany, 
where  he  had  left  orders  for  marching  his  troops  to  He  aux 
Noix.  From  this  place  the  two  generals  issued  a  proclama 
tion  to  the  people  of  Canada,  inviting  them  to  join  the  Ame- 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  259 


ricans  to  defend  their  own  liberties.  They  told  them  that 
they  came  not  as  enemies,  but  as  friends,  making  war  only 
against  the  British  garrison. 

Hence  they  marched  to  fort  St.  John,  which,  situated  on 
the  left  bank  of  the  Sorel,  commands  it  and  closes  the  pas 
sage  towards  the  St.  Lawrence.  Moving  on,  they  landed  one 
mile  and  a  half  from  the  fort,  in  a  marsh,  through  which  they 
marched  in  good  order,  with  the  object  of  reconnoitring  the 
place.  In  the  course  of  this  march,  they  were  furiously 
attacked  by  the  Indians,  (Sept.  6th,)  who  intended  to  prevent 
their  fording  a  river :  these,  however,  the  Americans  drove 
back,  and,  in  the  night,  established  themselves  in  sight  of  the 
fort,  where  they  threw  up  works.  But,  having  no  artillery, 
and  learning,  moreover,  that  the  fort  was  well  defended,  they 
returned,  the  next  day,  to  He  aux  Noix,  to  await  reinforce 
ments  and  artillery .  At  the  same  time,  the  Americans  were 
employed  in  obstructing  the  channel  of  the  river  with  che- 
vaux-de-frise,  to  prevent  the  communication  of  the  governor's 
ships  between  fort  St.  John  and  the  lake. 

General  Schuyler  having  fallen  into  an  indisposition,  the 
command  devolved  on  General  Montgomery.  He  succeeded 
in  detaching  the  Indians  from  the  English  in  this  place,  and 
persuaded  them  to  remain  neuter.  After  the  arrival  of  the 
reinforcements  and  artillery,  he  immediately  advanced  and 
laid  siege  to  St.  John.  But  feeling  the  general  want  among 
the  provincials  of  powder  and  cannon-balls,  he  directed  his 
attention  to  fort  Chamblee,  a  small  fort,  five  miles  from  St. 
John,  on  the  same  river,  to  which  he  sent  a  detachment  of 
about  300  men,  under  Majors  Brown  and  Livingstone.  They 
appeared  suddenly  before  the  fort,  and  took  possession  of  it. 
The  garrison,  composed  of  160  men,  commanded  by  Major 
Stopford,  were  made  prisoners. 

The  ammunition  found  in  this  fort,  consisting  of  a  few 
cannon,  and  124  barrels  of  powder,  enabled  Montgomery  to 
push  the  siege  of  St.  John  more  vigorously.  A  battery  was 
established  only  fifty  paces  from  the  fort. 

Several  detachments  scoured  the  country  between  the 
Sorel  and  the  St.  Lawrence,  where  they  were  received  by 


260  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY-  [1775. 

the  Canadian  people  with  demonstrations  of  joy,  who  came 
to  join  them  and  furnish  them  with  arms,  ammunition,  and 
provisions.  Colonel  Allen  and  Major  Brown  now  concerted 
the  project  of  surprising  and  taking  Montreal,  the  capital  of 
Upper  Canada,  and  situated  on  an  island  formed  by  two 
branches  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  Allen  marched  to  the  banks 
of  the  St.  Lawrence,  where  finding  boats,  he  crossed  over  in 
the  night,  about  three  miles  below  Montreal.  Major  Brown 
was  to  have  crossed  over  at  the  same  time,  but,  unable  to 
effect  it.  Allen  was  left  in  a  very  dangerous  situation.  Gov 
ernor  Carleton,  with  a  number  of  English,  Canadians,  and 
Indians,  marched  out  from  Montreal  to  meet  him.  A  fierce 
conflict  ensued,  in  which  Allen  defended  himself  with  great 
bravery,  but,  overpowered  by  numbers  and  deserted  by  his 
Canadian  allies,  he  was  forced  to  surrender.  The  governor 
barbarously  loaded  him  with  chains,  and  sent  him  to  England 
to  be  tried  as  a  rebel. 

This  success  of  the  governor  encouraged  him  to  make  an 
I  attempt  to  raise  the  siege  of  St.  John.  He  assembled  his 
troops,  and  departed  from  Montreal  to  join  Colonel  Maclean, 
who  occupied  the  mouth  of  the  Sorel  with  the  Scotch  regi 
ment  of  Royal  Highlanders.  With  these  united  forces  he 
intended  to  attack  Montgomery.  The  American  general, 
however,  had  taken  measures  to  guard  against  such  an  attack, 
by  scouring,  with  a  number  of  detachments,  the  eastern  bank 
ot  the  right  branch  of  the  St.  Lawrenfce. 

The  English,  in  conformity  with  their  design,  entered  their 
boats  to  cross  the  river  at  Longueville,  but  Colonel  Warner 
having  placed  artillery  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  stood  ready 
for  their  reception.  As  the  English  approached,  he  opened  a 
fire  of  grape-shot  upon  them,  which  drove  them  back  to 
Montreal  in  great  disorder.  Colonel  Maclean  fell  back  upon 
Quebec,  leaving  the  mouth  of  the  Sorel  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Americans. 

The  siege  of  St.  John  was  rapidly  progressing;  Mont 
gomery  had  approached  with  his  trenches  to  the  foot  of  the 
wall,  and  was  preparing  for  an  assault,  when  Major  Preston, 
at  the  head  of  more  than  500  regulars,  and  about  100  Cana- 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  261 

dian  volunteers,  surrendered,  on  the  3d  of  November,  after  a 
siege  of  six  weeks.  Preston  obtained  the  honours  of  war, 
and  the  prisoners  were  conducted  into  the  colonies.  The 
spoils  were  seventeen  pieces  of  brass,  and  twenty-two  iron  can 
non,  seventeen  mortars,  and  a  large  quantity  of  balls  and  bombs. 

The  next  object  of  the  Americans  was,  to  occupy  the 
mouth  of  the  Sorel.  This  was  of  the  greatest  importance, 
to  prevent  the  governor  with  his  armed  vessels,  assembled  at 
Montreal,  from  descending  the  river  and  escaping  to  Quebec. 
Batteries  were  erected  on  the  point  of  land  formed  by  the 
junction  of  the  Sorel  with  the  St.  Lawrence ;  and  the  river 
being  very  wide  at  this  place,  a  number  of  rafts  and  floating 
batteries  were  also  constructed.  This  not  only  prevented 
Carleton  from  descending  the  river,  but  by  a  violent  attack 
he  was  driven  back  towards  Montreal.  The  governor  and 
his  squadron  were  thus  placed  in  a  most  critical  situation. 

General  Montgomery  proceeded  to  Montreal,  which  he 
entered  in  triumph  on  the  13th  of  November.  General  Carle- 
ton  had  joined  his  ships  and  left  the  town  the  day  previous. 
The  inhabitants  of  Montreal  were  obliged  to  surrender  at 
discretion,  for,  not  being  in  a  state  of  defence,  they  could 
make  no  terms.  It  was,  however,  the  interest  and  the  incli 
nation  of  the  conqueror  to  treat  the  vanquished  with  great 
lenity.  He  promised  to  protect  their  property  and  their  re 
ligion,  and  added,  he  hoped  that,  if  they  adhered  to  the  Ame 
rican  cause,  their  civil  and  religious  rights  would  be  established 
by  the  provincial  Congress,  and  that  their  courts  of  justice 
would  be  organized  upon  the  principle  of  the  English  consti 
tution.  After  such  treatment  to  the  people  of  Montreal,  the 
general  had  reason  to  hope  that  the  inhabitants  of  Quebec 
would  espouse  the  cause  of  America. 

The  governor,  with  his  ships,  was  blockaded  between  the 
city  and  the  mouth  of  the  Sorel ;  and  not  only  were  all  his 
naval  efforts  at  an  end,  but  his  escape  appeared  absolutely 
impossible.  In  this  critical  period  he  threw  himself  into  a 
boat,  caused  the  paddles  to  be  muffled  to  prevent  much  noise, 
and  in  this  manner  had  the  good  fortune,  on  a  dark  night,  to 
pass  through  the  guard-boats  of  the  Americans,  and  arrive  in 


262  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


safety  at  Quebec.  General  Prescott,  who  took  the  command 
of  the  squadron  after  the  escape  of  the  governor,  was  soon 
after  obliged  to  surrender,  and  eleven  sail  of  vessels,  several 
officers,  120  privates,  a  large  quantity  of  flour,  beef,  butter, 
cannon,  small-arms  and  military  stores,  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  provincials. 

Having  garrisoned  Montreal,  St.  John,  and  Chamblee,  to 
keep  up  a  communication  between  Quebec  and  the  colonies, 
Montgomery  marched  to  Quebec  with  only  about  300  men. 
As  the  march  from  St.  John  to  Montreal  had  been  attended 
writh  so  much  difficulty  and  suffering,  through  low  and 
marshy  land,  many  of  the  troops  began  to  murmur  wrhen  they 
arrived  at  the  latter  place ;  and  as  the  time  of  the  service  of 
some  had  expired,  they  insisted  upon  going  home.  Some  of 
these  malcontents  actually  did  go  home,  while  others  were 
persuaded  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  their  leader. 

Colonel  Maclean  was  suddenly  called  upon  to  defend  Que 
bec  against  the  most  imminent  danger  from  an  unexpected 
quarter. 

At  the  time  the  provincial  army  blockaded  Boston,  Wash 
ington  had  conceived  an  enterprise,  which,  for  originality  and 
boldness,  has  seldom  been  equalled. 

About  130  miles  north  of  Boston  is  the  Kennebec  river, 
stretching  from  the  sea  through  the  state  of  Maine  to  no  great 
distance  from  Quebec.  The  plan  was,  to  sail  up  this  river 
with  about  1100  men,  penetrate  through  swamps  and  forests, 
and  pass  over  the  mountains  that  separate  New  England  from 
Canada,  beyond  the  sources  of  the  Kennebec.  Opposite 
these  sources,  on  the  other  side  of  the  mountains,  rises  an 
other  river,  called  the  Chaudiere,  which  flows  into  the  St. 
Lawrence  a  short  distance  above  Quebec.  Arriving  from 
such  an  unexpected  quarter,  through  rough  and  dismal  soli 
tudes,  where  the  marching  of  an  army  appeared  chimerical 
it  was  supposed  that  Quebec,  unprepared  for  such  an  attack 
would  fall  an  easy  prey. 

The  command  of  this  extraordinary  enterprise  was  given 
to  Colonel  Arnold,  a  man  of  the  most  intrepid  courage,  bor- 


1775.]  REVOLUTION. 


dering  at  times  on  madness,  a  ready  genius,  with  great  energy 
and  firmness  of  character. 

About  the  middle  of  September,  Arnold  left  Boston  with 
ten  companies  of  fusileers,  three  of  riflemen,  and  one  of  artil 
lery.  Among  the  few  volunteers  that  joined  them,  was 
Colonel  Burr.  When  they  arrived  at  Newburyport,  situated 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Merrimack,  the  vessels  in  waiting  con 
veyed  the  expedition  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec.  Favoured 
by  the  wind,  Arnold  entered  the  river,  and  found  200  batteaux 
in  progress,  at  the  town  of  Gardiner.  These  being  laden 
with  his  arms,  ammunition,  and  provisions,  the  soldiers  com 
menced  their  labours  against  an  impetuous  current, interrupted 
by  rocks,  shoals,  and  falls,  which  obliged  them  to  unload  the 
boats  again  and  again,  and  carry  all  the  lading,  and,  finally, 
the  boats  themselves,  until  the  stream  became  navigable  again. 
And  when,  with  incessant  toil,  they  had  traversed  the  length 
of  the  river,  they  had  difficulties  to  encounter  no  less  formi 
dable.  They  now  commenced  their  march  over  swampy 
grounds ;  penetrated  through  thick  forests,  hewing  their  way 
through,  with  baggage  on  their  backs ;  scaled  high  and  rug 
ged  mountains,  hitherto  deemed  inaccessible ;  waded  through 
wrater;  traversed  frightful  precipices;  and,  to  increase  these 
accumulated  horrors,  their  provisions  had  failed,  and  sickness 
appeared  among  them  before  they  had  reached  the  sources  of 
the  Kennebec;  and  Colonel  Enos  receiving  orders  to  send 
back  all  the  sick,  embraced  the  occasion  and  went  back  him 
self  with  all  his  detachment  to  Boston.  His  appearance  there 
excited  the  indignation  of  the  army:  he  was  brought  before 
a  court-martial,  but  acquitted,  on  the  supposed  impossibility 
of  obtaining  sustenance  in  these  dismal  places.  This  deser 
tion,  and  the  increasing  difficulties,  seemed  to  invigorate 
Arnold  and  his  heroic  followers.  They  ate  their  dogs,  and 
whatever  else  they  could  get,  excepting,  however,  their  shoes 
and  clothes,  as  some  authors,  influenced  by  popular  errors, 
have  erroneously  stated.  For  300  miles  they  travelled, 
without  perceiving  a  single  habitation.  While  still  at  the 
distance  of  one  hundred  miles  from  human  habitations,  they 
divided  their  whole  store,  and  each  man  got  about  four  pints 


264  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


of  flour.  At  thirty  miles'  distance  from  the  habitations  of 
men,  they  baked  the  last  morseJ  of  their  provisions.  Their 
constancy  and  courage,  however,  diu  uot  desert  them,  and 
when  threatened  with  death  from  famine,  Arnold  appeared 
among  them  with  some  food.  They  continued  their  march, 
and  at  length  discovered,  to  their  inexpressible  joy,  the 
sources  of  the  Chaudiere,  and  soon  after  the  dwellings  and 
faces  of  men.  The  Canadians  received  and  treated  them  as 
friends,  expressing  their  friendly  disposition  towards  Congress. 
Arnold  issued  a  proclamation  of  General  Washington,  the 
nature  of  which  was  the  same  as  that  of  Schuyler  and  Mont 
gomery  ;  and  having  collected  his  scattered  soldiers,  he  con 
tinued  his  march,  and  about  six  or  seven  weeks  after  his  de 
parture  from  Boston,  or  rather  Cambridge,  he  arrived  at  a 
place  called  Point  Levy,  situated  opposite  to  Quebec,  on  the 
bank  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence. 

The  astonishment  and  consternation  produced  upon  the 
people  of  Quebec  on  the  appearance  of  this  apparition,  was 
universal.  They  could  not  imagine  how  they  got  there. 
They  were  not  of  "  questionable  shape"  enough  to  have 
dropped  from  the  moon ;  and  although  their  hard  journey  may 
have  given  them  some  little  resemblance,  in  their  outward 
appearance,  to  Falstaff 's  regiment,  yet  they  did  not  look  like 
beings  from  a  nether  world.  Had  not  the  small-craft  and 
boats  been  removed  just  before  the  arrival  of  Arnold,  which 
prevented  him  from  crossing  the  river  for  several  days,  he 
would  have  made  himself  master  of  Quebec  before  the  inha 
bitants  recovered  from  their  surprise. 

Arnold  had  confided  a  letter  to  an  Indian  while  yet  at  the 
sources  of  the  Kennebec,  to  carry  to  General  Schuyler,  which, 
through  the  carelessness  or  treachery  of  the  savage,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  Colonel  Maclean,  who,  being  thus  apprized  of  the 
approach  of  the  Americans,  had  advanced  by  forced  marches 
to  Quebec,  just  in  time  to  withdraw  the  boats  and  make  hasty 
preparations  to  defend  the  city.  From  the  disaffection  which 
prevailed  in  Canada  to  the  British  government,  this  defence 
would  have  been  very  feeble ;  but  many  of  the  inhabitants, 
both  French  and  English,  as  soon  as  they  saw  American 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  265 


colours  floating  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  fearing  for  their 
own  property,  united  by  common  danger  in  active  exertions 
to  be  prepared  before  the  Americans  could  cross  the  river. 

Some  of  the  Canadians  having  furnished  Arnold  with  boats, 
and  the  tempestuous  winds  which  had  blown  for  several  days 
and  nights  having  ceased,  he  appointed  the  night  of  the  13th 
of  November  to  pass  the  river  and  attack  the  city.  All  his 
men  were  embarked  except  150,  who  remained  to  complete 
the  scaling-ladders.  The  ships  of  the  enemy  were  carefully 
avoided,  and  on  reaching  the  left  bank,  Arnold,  followed  by 
his  heroic  soldiers,  mounted  the  heights  of  Abraham,  where 
the  immortal  Wolfe  had  ascended  before  him,  and  drew  up 
his  little  army  near  the  plains  of  Abraham.  Here  he  waited 
for  the  companies  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  He  hoped 
to  surprise  the  city  and  carry  it  by  a  single  effort ;  but  his  in 
tercepted  letter,  and  his  appearance  at  Point  Levy,  had  given 
the  alarm,  and  all  were  at  their  posts.  He  resolved,  how 
ever,  upon  an  attack,  notwithstanding  the  unpromising  as 
pect  of  affairs.  He  had  no  cannon ;  many  of  his  muskets 
had  become  useless  during  the  journey,  and  their  ammuni 
tion  was  so  damaged  that  only  six  charges  remained  to  a 
man.  With  a  view  to  excite  a  moral  sway  over  the  inhabit 
ants,  he  now  began  to  show  himself  frequently  upon  the 
heights,  and  at  last  actually  sent  a  flag  summoning  the  town 
to  surrender,  but  Maclean  ordered  his  men  to  fire  upon  the 
bearers,  Receiving  intelligence  of  several  Canadians  that  it 
was  proposed  to  attack  him  on  the  morning  of  the  19th, 
Arnold  found  it  necessary  to  retire  to  Point  au  Tremble, 
twenty  miles  above  Quebec,  to  await  the  arrival  of  Montgo 
mery  from  Upper  Canada. 

On  the  first  of  December,  Montgomery  arrived  at  Point  au 
Tremble,  with  his  300  men.  Colonel  Arnold  advanced  to  re 
ceive  him,  and  the  shouts  of  joy  at  this  meeting  echoed  far 
over  the  dismal  scenes  of  winter. 

Marching  in  company,  the  two  generals  arrived  in  sight  of 
Quebec  on  the  5th  of  December.  Montgomery  demanded 
an  immediate  surrender  of  the  governor,  who  had  now  ar 
rived.  This  was  again  refused ;  and  the  general,  considering 

34  ~V 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1775. 


his  weakness  and  the  resolution  of  the  inhabitants  to  oppose 
him,  had  but  faint  hopes  of  success.  However,  as  the  for 
tifications  of  so  extensive  a  city  were  numerous,  he  thought 
of  finding  an  opportunity  to  strike  a  decisive  blow  at  some 
propitious  moment.  Five  small  mortars  were  employed  to 
throw  bombs  into  the  city,  but  without  effect.  In  a  few  days 
after,  six  pieces  of  cannon  were  planted  within  700  paces  of 
the  walls,  but  their  calibre  was  too  small  to  produce  any 
effect. 

A  Canadian  winter,  with  all  its  severity,  was  howling 
around  our  adventurers.  The  snow,  which  fell  incessantly, 
encumbered  all  their  movements ;  the  piercing  cold  was  be 
yond  human  nature  to  bear  in  the  open  field ;  the  toils  and 
dreadful  sufferings  to  which  their  small  number  subjected 
them,  would  have  been  overwhelming,  had  not  'their  attach 
ment  to  their  cause  and  their  unshaken  confidence  in  their 
general  sustained  them. 

"The  keener  tempests  rise;  and  fuming  dun 
From  all  the  livid  east,  or  piercing  north, 
Thick  clouds  ascend,  in  whose  capacious  womb 
A  vapoury  deluge  lies,  to  snow  congeal'd; 
Heavy  they  roll  their  fleecy  world  along, 
And  the  sky  saddens  with  the  gather'd  storm. 
Through  the  hush'd  air  the  whitening  shower  descends, 
At  first  thin  wavering,  till  at  last  the  flakes 
Fall  broad,  and  wide,  and  fast,  dimming  the  day 
With  a  continual  flow." 

The  time  of  service  of  the  provincials  had  nearly  expired, 
and  Montgomery  saw  that,  without  a  bold  effort,  this  part  of 
the  object  of  his  expedition  must  fail ;  and  he  even  doubted 
if  the  conquests  already  made  could  be  preserved,  if  the  capi 
tal  of  the  province  remained  in  the  power  of  the  English. 

Thus  situated,  temerity  and  prudence  became  almost  the 
same  to  them ;  and  however  slender  may  have  been  the  hopes 
of  success,  they  resorted  to  the  only  means  left  them  consist 
ent  with  the  character  of  brave  and  patriotic  men.  A  coun 
cil  of  war  was  convoked ;  an  assault  was  agreed  upon,  and 
the  necessary  dispositions  for  storming  the  town  were  put  in 
execution. 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  267 


Four  attacks  were  to  be  made  at  the  same  time — two  false 
ones,  by  Majors  Livingstone  and  Brown,  to  divide  the  ene 
my's  forces,  and  two  real  ones,  the  first  led  by  Montgomery, 
and  the  second  by  Arnold,  both  of  whom  directed  their 
forces  against  the  lower  part  of  the  town  from  opposite 
points. 

The  attacks  were  made  between  4  and  5  o'clock,  on  the 
31st  of  December,  in  a  tremendous  snow-storm;  and  the 
firing  of  rockets  was  intended  for  the  signal. 

Brown  and  Livingstone,  detained  by  the  snow  and  other 
obstacles,  were  too  late  to  execute  their  feints. 

Montgomery  led  his  men  to  the  attack.  On  approaching 
the  first  barrier  a  panic  seized  the  Canadians,  and  they  threw 
down  their  arms  and  fled.  But  as  the  Americans  approached, 
the  road  was  so  much  obstructed  by  enormous  piles  of  snow, 
that  its  removal  became  necessary.  This  being  effected, 
they  passed  one  by  one,  and  having  assembled  200  men,  the 
general  encouraged  them  to  advance  rapidly  to  take  the  bar 
rier.  One  of  the  Canadians,  some  daring  fellow,  on  seeing 
the  Americans  halt,  returned  to  the  battery,  and  finding  one 
of  the  matches  still  burning,  he  fired  a  cannon  loaded  with 
grape-shot.  Montgomery,  Macpherson,  and  Cheesman,  with 
several  others,  who  had  been  only  forty  paces  off,  were  killed. 
The  troops  fled  and  abandoned  the  enterprise. 

The  Americans  under  Arnold  advanced  rapidly  through  a 
passage  obstructed  by  a  large  quantity  of  snow,  under  the 
fire  of  grape-shot  from  the  besieged.  Receiving  a  wound  in 
the  leg  from  a  musket-ball,  which  fractured  the  bone,  he  was 
carried  to  the  hospital  almost  by  force.  This  was  an  unlucky 
leg,  for  at  the  battle  of  Saratoga  it  was  grievously  wounded 
again.  No  one,  we  hope,  will  find  fault  with  the  word  leg — 
we  detest,  above  all  things,  a  false  modesty.  To  say  that  a 
man  was  wounded  in  an  extremity  leaves  the  sense  ambigu 
ous  as  to  whether  it  was  a  moral  or  a  physical  extremity — 
an  upper  or  a  lower  extremity:  in  short,  we  have  always 
been  of  the  opinion  that  this  pseudo-delicacy — this  stammer 
ing,  hesitating  evasion  of  a  proper  name  leads  the  mind, 
more  than  anything  else,  to  mischief.  A  refined  mind  should 


268  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1775. 


never   resort    to    such    ridiculous   auxiliaries.      With   this 
wounded  leg  we  have  limped  from  our  subject. 

Captain  Morgan  has  taken  the  command.  He  rushes 
against  the  first  battery,  and  his  celebrated  riflemen  kill  the 
enemy  through  the  embrasures.  Ladders  are  applied  to  the 
parapets,  and  the  first  battery  is  taken,  together  with  a  num 
ber  of  prisoners.  A  few  brave  men  had  followed  Morgan, 
but  the  rest  had  not  yet  time  to  join  him.  Here  they  stood, 
in  a  strange  place,  unacquainted  with  the  city,  involved  in 
darkness,  and  pelted  by  the  pitiless  storm ;  the  roar  of  artillery 
and  of  musketry  shakes  the  ground  ;  the  flash  of  fire  lights  up, 
momentarily,  the  awful  scene,  then  again  it  is  involved  in 
additional  gloom.  Despair  would  have  seized  upon  ordinary 
men,  but  Morgan  rallied  his  riflemen,  hurried  towards  the 
next  barrier,  followed  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Green,  Majors 
Bigelow  and  Meigs.  The  second  battery  was  attacked  as 
the  morning  dawned ;  and  as  the  enemy  sallied  out,  under 
Captain  Anderson,  to  summon  the  Americans  to  lay  down 
their  arms,  Morgan  levelled  his  rifle  at  the  captain's  head 
and  stretched  him  on  the  ground.  The  British,  surprised  at 
such  audacity,  scampered  off  rather  abruptly,  hid  themselves 
behind  the  battery,  and  shut  the  barrier.  An  attempt  was 
next  made  to  scale  the  second  barrier,  but,  to  their  astonish 
ment,  they  saw  two  files  of  soldiers,  with  a  forest  of  bayonets, 
ready  to  receive  them.  Alarmed  by  a  fire  in  their  rear  and 
flank,  the  soldiers  retired  into  the  houses,  while  Morgan, 
almost  alone,  called  upon  them  to  return.  A  retreat  was  at 
last  sounded,  when  surrounded  by  enemies,  and  Morgan  pro 
posed  to  his  followers  to  fight  their  way  through  them; 
but  hoping  that  Montgomery  might  soon  come  to  their  relief, 
they  refused  to  expose  themselves  to  the  consequences  of  such 
a  desperate  attempt,  and  remained  in  the  houses,  defending 
themselves.  The  enemy  continued  to  pour  in  from  other  parts 
of  the  city,  indicating  the  failure  of  Montgomery's  detach 
ment  ;  and,  having  lost  all  hope  of  escaping,  Morgan,  with 
his  immediate  followers,  made  a  virtue  of  necessity,  and  sur 
rendered,  when  each  became  a  kind  of  caged  lion,  proud, 
dignified,  and  undaunted. 


1775.]  REVOLUTION.  269 

The  garrison  of  Quebec  consisted  of  about  1500  men ;  the 
number  of  Americans,  at  the  time  of  the  attack,  were  800. 
The  Americans  lost,  in  killed  and  wounded,  100,  and  •OO 
were  taken  prisoners.  Montgomery  was  found  the  day  after 
the  attack,  with  a  wound  in  each  thigh,  and  one  in  the  head. 

The  following  occurs  in  Lee's  memoirs :  "  When  Morgan 
was  in  confinement  at  Quebec,  the  following  anecdote,  told 
by  himself,  manifests  the  high  opinion  entertained  by  the 
enemy  of  his  military  talents,  from  his  conduct  in  this  assault. 
He  was  visited  occasionally  by  a  British  officer,  to  him  un 
known  ;  but,  from  his  uniform,  he  appeared  to  belong  to  the 
navy,  and  to  be  an  officer  of  distinction.'  During  one  of  his 
visits,  after  conversing  upon  many  topics,  he  asked  Morgan 
if  he  did  not  begin  to  be  convinced  that  the  resistance  of 
America  was  visionary  ;  and  he  endeavoured  to  impress  him 
with  the  disastrous  consequences  which  must  infallibly  ensue, 
if  the  idle  attempt  were  persevered  in,  and  very  kindly  ex 
horted  him  to  renounce  the  ill-advised  undertaking.  He 
declared,  with  seeming  sincerity  and  candour,  his  admiration 
of  Morgan's  spirit  and  enterprise,  which,  he  said,  were  wrorthy 
of  a  better  cause ;  and  told  him,  if  he  \vould  agree  to  with 
draw  from  the  American,  and  join  the  British  standard,  he 
was  authorized  to  promise  him  the  commission,  rank,  and 
emoluments  of  a  colonel  in  the  royal  armv."  Morgan 

»  *r 

rejected  the  proposal  with  disdain ;  and  concluded  his  reply 
by  observing,  "  that  he  hoped  he  would  never  again  insult  him 
in  his  distressed  and  unfortunate  situation,  by  making  him 
offers  which  plainly  implied  that  he  thought  him  a  rascal." 
The  officer  withdrew,  and  the  offer  was  never  repeated. 

After  the  repulse,  Arnold  retired  and  encamped  for  the 
winter  about  three  miles  from  Quebec,  to  convert  the  siege 
into  a  blockade.  After  entrenching  himself,  he  scoured  the 
country  to  intercept  the  provisions  intended  for  the  city. 
The  governor,  satisfied  with  the  possession  qf  his  capital, 
quietly  waited  for  reinforcements  from  England.  In  the 
spring  of  1776,  Arnold,  finding  his  forces  inadequate  for  the 
reduction  of  Quebec,  and  receiving  no  reinforcements,  re 
tired.  The  Americans,  after  being  obliged  to  relinquish 


270 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1775-6. 


one  post  after  another,  had  entirely  evacuated  Canada  about 
the  18th  of  June. 

•hus  ended  one  of  the  most  wonderful  adventures  that  the 
history  of  the  world  furnishes — a  theme  fit  for  the  poet,  the 
painter  and  the  novelist,  for  here  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction. 
If  the  expedition  did  not  succeed  fully,  it  did  so  in  many 
respects ;  but  the  greatest  effect  it  produced  was  its  moral 
influence.  Such  an  illustration  of  the  spirit  of  patriotism, 
whether  on  a  large  or  a  small  scale,  often  accomplishes  more 
than  bloody  and  victorious  battles,  by  the  influence  it  has 
upon  the  minds  of  men. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  some  pages  back  (p.  232), 
we  left  a  wrathy  governor  a  voluntary  prisoner  in  his  own 
strongly  fortified  palace.  This  was  Lord  Dunmore  of  Vir 
ginia.  What  has  become  of  him  it  is  now  our  business  to 
inquire.  He  says  (and  we  have  no  disposition  to  doubt  his 
words)  that  his  present  residence  is  on  board  the  Fowey  man- 
of-war,  anchored  near  Yorktown.  He  declares  that  himself 
and  family  had  been  exposed  to  a  furious  multitude,  and  he 
had  thought  it  prudent  to  take  refuge  in  a  place  of  safety. 
The  Assembly  tell  him  that  if  he  had  acquainted  them  with 
his  fears  before  leaving,  they  would  have  taken  measures  for 
the  security  of  himself  and  his  family ;  and  then  invite  him 
to  return.  But  he  refuses,  and  tells  them  that  they  might 
send  the  bills  on  board  his  armed  ship  for  examination.  All 
intercourse  was  soon  at  an  end,  and  the  governor,  or  rather 
ex-governor,  issued  his  proclamations,  instituting  martial  law, 
and  proffering  freedom  to  those  slaves  who  would  repair  to  the 
British  standard !  Such  cowardly  proceedings  merited  the 
contempt  of  every  generous  mind.  If  an  enemy  is  honoura 
ble,  we  may  respect  him  though  we  detest  his  cause;  but 
mean  conduct  compels  us  to  pity  or  despise  the  man.  Such 
a  hero  as  Dunmore,  of  course,  did  not  remain  idle.  He  equip 
ped  and  armed  a  number  of  other  vessels,  and  as  the  provin 
cials  refused  him  provisions,  instead  of  waging  ordinary  war? 
he  proceeded  to  reduce  Hampton  to  ashes,  and  wage  a  kind 
of  piratical  war.  Again  he  came  to  shore  at  Norfolk,  situ 
ated  near  the  mouth  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  on  the  Elizabeth 


1775-6.]  REVOLUTION.  271 

river,  where  a  few  loyalists  and  a  very  few  frightened  darkeys 
joined  him ;  and,  after  defeating  a  handful  of  militia  hastily 
assembled,  the  governor  already  considered  himself  a  Ca3sar, 
and  had  great  hopes  of  re-conquering  his  province !  The 
governor  next  entrenched  himself  in  a  strong  position  on  the 
Elizabeth  river  with  his  amalgamated  army. 

The  Virginians  threw  up  entrenchments  within  cannon- 
shot  of  the  enemy.  Dunmore  sent  Captain  Fordyce  to  dis 
lodge  them,  but  being  killed,  and  many  of  the  troops  killed 
and  wounded,  the  rest  retired.  The  negroes,  of  course, 
showed  the  white  of  the  eye  and  ran.  The  governor  re- 
embarked,  but  returning  some  time  after,  and  demanding 
food  in  vain,  he  burnt  the  town  of  Norfolk,  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1776.  About  6000  inhabitants  were  thus  deprived 
of  their  homes.  After  this  he  joined  General  Howe  at  New 
York. 

"  —  Sea-nursed  Norfolk  lights  the  neighbouring  plains. 
From  realm  to  realm  the  smoky  volumes  bend, 
Reach  round  the  bays  and  up  the  streams  extend  ; 
Deep  o'er  the  concave  heavy  wreaths  are  roll'd, 
And  midland  towns  and  distant  groves  infold. 
Through  solid  curls  of  smoke,  the  bursting  fires 
Climb  in  tail  pyramids  above  the  spires, 
Concentring  all  the  winds  ;  whose  forces,  driven 
With  equal  rage  from  every  point  of  heaven, 
Whirl  into  conflict,  round  the  scantling  pour 
The  twisting  flames,  and  through  the  rafters  roar, 
Suck  up  the  cinders,  send  them  sailing  far, 
To  warn  the  nations  of  the  raging  war, 
Bend  high  the  blazing  vortex,  swell'd  and  curl'd, 
Careering,  brightening  o'er  the  lustred  world, 
Absorb  the  reddening  clouds  that  round  them  run, 
Lick  the  pale  stars,  and  mock  their  absent  sun : 
Seas  catch  the  splendour,  kindling  skies  resound, 
And  falling  structures  shake  the  smouldering  ground. 

Crowds  of  wild  fugitives,  with  frantic  tread, 
Flit  through  the  flames  that  pierce  the  midnight  shade, 
Back  on  the  burning  domes  revert  their  eyes, 
Where  some  lost  friend,  some  perish'd  infant  lies ; 
Their  maim'd,  their  sick,  their  age-enfeebled  sires 
Have  sunk  sad  victims  to  the  sateless  fires. 


272  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1775-6. 


They  greet  with  one  last  look  their  tottering  walls, 
See  the  blaze  thicken,  as  the  ruin  falls, 
Then  o'er  the  country  train  their  dumb  despair, 
And  far  behind  them  leave  the  dancing  glare ; 
Their  own  crush'd  roofs  still  lend  a  trembling  light, 
Point  their  long  shadows  and  direct  their  flight ; 
Till  wandering  wide  they  seek  some  cottage  door, 
Ask  the  vile  pittance  due  the  vagrant  poor ; 
Or,  faint  and  faltering  on  the  devious  road, 
They  sink  at  last,  and  yield  their  mortal  load." 

The  royal  governors  of  other  colonies  took  refuge  on  board 
of  the  English  shipping,  and  royal  government  generally,  by 
this  abdication,  terminated  with  the  vear  1775. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Blockade  of  Boston  turned  into  a  Siege — Americans  fortify  Dorchester  Heights 
I  —Astonishment  of  the  Enemy—Evacuate  Boston—Sail  to  Halifax— Washington 
takes  Possession  of  Boston. 

"  The  cannons  have  their  bowels  full  of  wrath ; 
And  ready-mounted  are  they  to  spit  forth 
Their  iron  indignation  'gainst  your  walls." 


"  Look,  my  lord  !" 
;  Angels  and  ministers  of  grace  defend  us  !" 


THE  garrison  of  Boston  saw  its  sphere  of  operations,  in 
|  procuring  provisions,  diminish  from  day  to  day.  Not  only 
I  had  Washington  encouraged  the  frequent  skirmishes  about 
Boston  with  this  view,  and  to  keep  up  the  spirit  of  the  Ame 
ricans,  and  accustom  them  to  the  din  of  arms  and  the  encoun 
ter  of  the  enemy,  but  a  decree  of  Congress  prohibiting  the 
exportation  of  provisions  from  the  colonies  to  Canada,  Nova 
Scotia,  the  island  of  St.  John,  Newfoundland  and  the  Flori- 
das,  made  provisions  so  scarce  in  these  places  that  the  inha 
bitants  were  themselves  in  want.  If  the  British  attempted 
to  land  and  forage  along  the  coast  of  the  colonies,  they  were 
attacked  and  beaten  back  by  the  provincials.  The  enemy 
now  became  desperate ;  and  one  of  their  ships,  laden  with  the 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  273 

effects  of  some  loyalists,  being  attacked  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Falmouth,  Massachusetts,  they  bombarded  the  town,  and 
then  sent  a  detachment  on  shore  to  set  it  on  fire  and  reduce 
it  to  ashes.  The  Assembly  of  Massachusetts,  who  had  already 
ordained  the  armament  of  some  vessels  to  protect  the  coast, 
now  decreed  that  letters  of  marque  and  reprisal  should  be 
granted,  and  that  admiralty  courts  should  be  established  to 
decide  on  the  validity  of  the  prizes. 

With  a  view  to  intercept  the  enemy's  navigation  and  pro 
tect  the  coasts  of  the  colonies,  Congress  decreed  that  a  fleet 
of  five  ships  of  thirty-two  guns,  five  of  twenty-eight,  and 
three  of  twenty-four,  should  be  built  and  armed.  T\vo  were 
to  be  constructed  in  Massachusetts,  one  in  New  Hampshire, 
one  in  Connecticut,  two  in  Rhode  Island,  two  in  New  York, 
four  in  Pennsylvania,  and  one  in  Maryland.  These  vessels 
were  equipped  with  great  despatch,  and  the  command  of  the 
squadron  was  given  to  Commodore  Hopkins.  Congress  also 
created  courts  of  admiralty,  and  authorized  the  capture  of  the 
ships  in  the  service  of  the  enemy,  or  which  should  lend  them 
any  assistance. 

To  their  great  amazement,  the  enemy  soon  saw  swarms  of 
American  vessels  along  the  coast ;  not  only  the  squadron  ol 
Congress,  but  also  the  Massachusetts  cruisers.  These  took 
an  immense  number  of  prizes,  and  rivalled  the  enemy  on  an 
element  on  which  they  had  hitherto  experienced  no  opposition 
from  the  provincials.  The  American  vessels,  hiding  behind 
the  great  number  of  little  islands  along  the  coast,  suddenly 
darted  out  and  took  the  enemy's  ships,  loaded  with  provisions* 
By  these  means  they  not  only  cut  off  the  provisions  and  fuel 
but  the  arms  and  ammunition  sent  over  from  England,  oi 
which  the  provincials  stood  much  in  need,  were  also  taken. 

While  Washington  was  thus  gradually  closing  every  door  and 
avenue  to  Boston,  by  land  and  sea,  not  only  cutting  off  the 
provisions  of  the  enemy,  but  diminishing  the  chances  of  escape, 
he  began  to  contemplate  the  best  mode  of  taking  John  Bull 
by  the  horns ;  of  making  the  whole  British  army  prisoners, 
and  of  destroying  the  British  squadron  in  the  port  and  bay. 

Encouraged  and  urged  by  Congress  to  brave  all  dangers^n 


274  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 

terminating  the  siege  of  Boston,  before  the  arrival  of  rein- 
I  forcements  from  England,  when  the  services  of  the  American 
army  would  be  required  elsewhere,  Washington  arranged  a 
plan  to  take  the  city  by  assault.  Calling  his  generals  together, 
he  proposed  to  them  his  plan  of  attack.  The  majority,  how 
ever,  opposed  the  plan  ;  and  it  was  finally  agreed  that  the 
Dorchester  Heights  should  be  occupied :  which  commanding 
Boston  and  its  harbour,  the  enemy  would  be  forced  to  eva 
cuate  the  city.  This  plan  was  preferred,  as  being  attended 
with  less  risk  than  the  other.  The  prudence  and  sagacity  of 
the  commander-in-chief,  in  estimating  the  probable  issue  of 
such  an  undertaking,  constrains  us  to  believe,  that  had  his 
plan  been  carried  into  effect,  the  result  would  have  been  the 
capture  of  the  British  army. 

The  Americans,  to  mask  their  real  design,  opened  batteries 
at  various  points,  which  incessantly  fulminated  with  a  terrible 
roar,  on  the  night  of  3furch  2d,  1776.  The  darkness  of  the 
night  was  dissipated  by  the  continual  blaze.  The  bombs  fell 
thick  and  fast  in  Boston ;  the  houses  were  fired  again  and 
again,  and  the  garrison  were  labouring  continually  in  extin 
guishing  the  flames.  Not  suspecting  that  such  a  furious  at 
tack  of  cannon  and  bombs  was  a  mere  feint,  the  enemy  had 
no  fear  of  danger  from  any  other  quarter. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th  of  March,  the  Americans  pro 
ceeded  silently  towards  the  peninsula  of  Dorchester.  The 
darkness  of  the  night,  the  favourable  course  of  the  wind, 
carrying  away  the  unavoidable  noise,  and  the  continual  deaf 
ening  roar  and  thunder  of  the  numerous  batteries  employed 
in  the  feint*  all  favoured  the  enterprise. 

The  van-guard,  consisting  of  1200  men,  was  followed  by  the 
carriages  containing  the  entrenching  tools.  In  the  rear-guard 
were  300  carts  of  bundles  of  hay,  fascines,  &e.,  to  cover  the 
flanks  of  the  troops  in  passing  the  isthmus  of  Dorchester,  ex 
posed  to  be  raked  on  both  sides  by  the  guns  on  the  British 
ships.  Arriving  upon  the  eminences,  they  commenced  the 
work  in  excellent  spirits,  and  with  such  surprising  activity, 
that  by  morning  they  had  two  forts  constructed,  one  on  each 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  275 

hill,  (rising  up  abruptly  from  the  surrounding  land  to  a  con 
siderable  height,)  which  completely  sheltered  them. 

In  the  morning,  when  the  darkness  was  dissipated,  the 
surprise  and  alarm  of  the  enemy  were  extreme ;  the  golden 
dreams  of  conquest  and  of  fame  flitted  away  like  the  "  baseless 
fabrics  of  a  vision,"  and  they  stood  aghast,  as  if  MENE, 
MENE,  TEKEL,  UPHARSIN,  had  been  written  in  charac 
ters  of  fire  on  the  Heights  of  Dorchester. 

"  No  alternative  remained  now  for  the  besieged."  says 
Stedman,  writing  for  the  British,  "  but  to  dislodge  the  provin 
cials  from  their  new  works,  or  evacuate  the  town.  To  succeed 
in  the  former  was  impossible,  for  the  British  troops  must  have 
ascended  an  almost  perpendicular  eminence,  on  the  top  of 
which  the  Americans  had  prepared  hogsheads,  chained  to 
gether  in  great  numbers,  and  filled  with  stones,  to  roll  down 
upon  them  as  they  marched  up :  a  curious  provision,  by  which 
whole  columns  wrould  have  been  swept  off  at  once.  This 
species  of  preparation  will  exemplify,  in  a  striking  manner, 
that  fertility  of  genius  in  expedients,  which  strongly  character 
ized  the  Americans  during  the  tear.  This  would  effectually 
have  destroyed  all  order,  and  have  broken  the  ranks." 

Admiral  Howe,  after  examining  the  works,  declared  that, 
if  the  Americans  were  not  dislodged  from  their  position,  his 
vessels  could  no  longer  remain  in  safety  in  the  harbour.  The 
city  itself  might  be  converted  into  a  heap  of  ruins  by  the 
provincials. 

General  Howe,  brother  of  the  admiral,  and  successor  to 
General  Gage,  had  at  one  time  concluded  to  attack  the  colo 
nists.  He  ordered  ladders  to  be  prepared  to  scale  the  walls, 
but  the  ebb  of  the  tide  and  the  tempestuous  winds  defeated 
his  object,  while,  in  the  mean  time,  the  Americans  erected  a 
thiid  redoubt,  and  Washington  aroused  his  soldiers  to  be 
ready  to  take  Boston,  either  during  the  battle  or  immediately 
after  the  defeat  of  the  enemy,  before  they  could  recover  from 
the  confusion. 

The  British  now  began  to  calculate  the  cost  of  victory,  even 
if  successful.  They  had  not  yet  forgotten  Bunker's  Hill, 
which  was  less  elevated,  and  the  works  less  perfect. 


276  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1776. 


But  ii  the  enemy  found  insurmountable  obstacles  staring 
them  in  the  face,  discouraging  the  attempt  to  dislodge  the 
provincials,  while  the  destruction  of  their  ships  and  even 
their  own  imprisonment  formed  unwelcome  ideas  in  their 
naughty  minds,  a  retreat  in  the  face  of  the  enemy  under  the 
cannon's  mouth,  controlled  by  exasperated  men,  promised  no 
auspicious  departure. 

"  Now,"  said  a  man  *  fou  and  unco  happy,'  holding  on  to  a 
post  on  the  edge  of  a  Philadelphia  wharf,  on  a  cold  winter 
night,  "  if  I  hold  on  I  shall  perish  with  the  cold :  if  I  let  go 
I  shall  be  drowned  in  the  river."  The  situation  of  this  man 
thus  illustrates  the  condition  of  Howe  and  his  army. 

In  this  a\vkward  dilemma,  Howe  assembled  some  of  the 
selectmen  of  Boston,  and  told  them  that  the  city  being  no 
'onger  of  any  use  to  the  king,  he  was  resolved  to  abandon  it,  if 
Washington  did  not  oppose  it.  He  represented  to  them  all 
the  horrors  of  a  battle  within  the  walls  of  the  city&  and,  at 
the  same  time,  pointed  to  the  combustible  materials  ready  to 
fire  the  city  in  case  he  was  molested.  With  this  intelligence 
he  sent  them  to  Washington,  and  Washington  sent  Howe  to 
Halifax  !  or  at  least  allowed  him  to  depart. 


The  Americans  remained  quiet,  and  the  English  began  to 
retreat.  Boston  now  presented  a  melancholy  appearance; 
about  1500  loyalists,  with  their  families,  hastened  to  gather 
up  their  most  valuable  effects,  and  abandon  their  homes ;  fa 
thers  are  carrying  loads  on  their  backs;  mothers,  almost 
frantic  with  grief  and  despair,  drag  their  little  whiteheads 
through  the  streets  towards  the  ships  that  are  to  take  them 
from  their  homes  and  their  country,  under  the  most  gloomy 
circumstances.  Frightful  tumults,  arising  from  quarrels  and 
fights  for  the  beasts  of  burden  and  carts,  to  remove  furniture 
disturb  the  streets.  The  soldiers  force  the  doors  to  rob  the 
houses  and  shops,  and  wantonly  destroy  what  they  cannot 
carry  away. 

Adverse  winds  detained  the  enemy  for  some  time,  but  on 
the  17th  of  March  they  embarked,  and,  in  vessels  overladen 
with  men  and  baggage,  but  scant  in  provisions,  they  set  sail 
for  Halifax,  situated  in  a  sterile  country,  as  their  only  resort 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  277 

not  being  in  a  condition  to  land  forcibly  in  any  part  of  the 
colonies.  They  left  behind,  at  Boston  and  at  Castle  Island, 
250  pieces  of  cannon,  half  of  which  were  serviceable,  4  thir 
teen  and  a  half  inch  mortars  (to  fire  bombs  withal),  2500 
chaldrons  of  sea-coal,  25,000  bushels  of  wheat,  2300  bushels 
of  barley,  600  bushels  of  oats,  100  jars  of  oil,  and  150 
horses. — Tres  apropos. 

As  the  rear- guard  of  the  enemy  were  leaving  the  city, 
Washington  entered  it  on  the  other  side  with  colours  (now 
striped  with  thirteen  lists)  floating  proudly  over  his  army, 
drums  beating,  and  all  the  forms  of  victory  and  triumph. 

The  people,  relieved  from  the  outrages  to  which  they  had 
been  exposed  for  sixteen  months  by  a  rude  and  insolent 
soldiery,  as  well  as  from  hunger  and  cold,  received  Washing 
ton  with  every  demonstration  of  joy  and  gratitude,  so  richly 
merited  by  their  deliverer. 

"  Beside  him,  Justice  trims  her  scale, 

And  Freedom's  songs  arise  ; 
Fresh  laurels  bloom  upon  his  brow, 

And  Fame  before  him  flies. 
O  mighty  chief,  around  thy  head 

Shall  Victory's  banner  wave, 
And  future  millions  bless  the  name 

Of  Washington  the  brave. 

In  silent  sadness,  weeping,  lay 

Columbia's  daughters  low, 
Their  tresses  bound  with  mantle  gray, 

Their  cheeks  were  pale  with  wo ; 
'  O  mighty  Heaven !  protect,'  they  cried, 

'All  those  we  cannot  leave !' 
Their  prayers  were  heard  ;  and  all  rejoin 

In  Washington  the  brave." 


278  THB    ARMY    AND    KAVY,  [1776* 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Plan  of  the  British  Government  to  subdue  the  Colonies  —  Fleet  sent  from  Ireland 
—  War  in  North  Carolina—  Defeat  of  Macdonald—  Siege  of  Charleston,  South  Ca 
rolina—Defeat  of  the  British  Fleet—  Resolution  to  declare  the  Colonies  free  and 
independent  States  —  Lee's  Speech  —  Declaration  of  Independence  —  Its  Effects  on 
the  American  People, 


who  is  he  that  wields  the  might 

Of  Freedom  on  the  green  sea-brink, 
Before  whose  sabre's  dazzling  light 

The  eyes  of  British  warriors  wink!" 
******* 

"  One  who,  no  more  than  mortal  brave, 
Fought  for  the  land  his  soul  adored, 

For  happier  homes  and  altars  free— 
His  only  talisman  the  sword, 

His  only  spell-word,  Liberty  !" 

SOME  of  the  former  governors  of  the  colonies,  burning  with 
revenge,  or  actuated  by  a  natural  desire  to  regain  their  former 
power,  argued  the  British  government  into  the  belief,  that  if 
the  mother  country  would  provide  a  respectable  force  to  co 
operate  with  the  loyalists,  they  would  at  once  rally  under 
their  banners  ;  but  that,  at  present,  they  were  restrained  from 
taking  an  active  part  against  the  Americans. 

Extremely  credulous  (a  weakness  of  human  nature)  in 
everything  that  flattered  their  pride  and  vanity,  f  he  ministers 
resolved  to  aim  an  overwhelming  blow  at  the  southern  pro 
vinces.  From  these  they  would  take  the  middle  and  northern 
colonies  in  flank;  while  the  front  and  rear  of  these  colonies 
would  be  assailed  from  the  sea  and  from  Canada.  By  such 
an  infallible  plan,  they  expected  soon  to  reduce  the  Americans 
to  submission.  But  they  were  most  egregiously  mistaken,  as 
men,  who  calculate  too  much  upon  the  infallibility  of  poor, 
blundering,  fallible  bipeds,  have  ever  been,  since  man  had  a 
being.  This  character  we  give  of  man  in  comparison  with 
God,  to  whom,  alone,  belongs  the  attribute  of  infallibility. 


IL 


The  fleet  sent  from  Ireland,  in  command  of  Lord  Cornwallis, 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  279 

under  the  convoy  of  Sir  POUT  Parker,  to  co-operate  with  the 
loyalists,  first  in  North  Carolina ;  then  with  tiio.se  of  South 
Carolina;  retarded  by  storms  and  contrary  winds,  arrived  at 
Cape  Fear,  in  North  Carolina,  on  the  3d  of  May,  after  a 
voyage  of  nearly  three  months.  Here  they  joined  General 
Clinton,  who,  at  the  head  of  a  considerable  corps,  had  quitted 
Boston  in  December,  arid  having  been  unable  to  execute  his 
design  of  attacking  \7irginia,  he  now,  from  seniority,  took  the 
command  in  chief. 

Governor  Martin,  who  had  taken  refuge  on  board  of  the 
vessels  of  the  king,  calculating  upon  a  timely  assistance  from 
England,  erected  the  royal  standard  in  North  Carolina,  sum 
moning  the  loyalists  to  rally  around  it  in  defence  of  the 
country  and  against  rebels.  He  named  Colonel  Macdonald, 
Captain-General  of  all  the  levies,  a  man  warmly  attached  to 
the  royal  cause.  They  assembled  at  Cross  Creek,  where 
I  their  numbers  increased  daily,  until  they  assumed  rather  a 
threatening  appearance.  The  patriots,  however,  were  not 
idle.  The  provincial  Assembly  despatched  all  the  militia  in 
preparation  against  them,  and  caused  others  to  be  assembled 
from  every  part  of  the  colony.  The  patriots  were  com 
manded  by  General  Moore,  with  whom  Macdonald  attempted 
to  negotiate.  Moore  had  the  address  to  prolong  the  negotia 
tion  until  his  forces,  increasing  daily,  became  superior  to 
those  of  his  adversary,  when  a  regular  chase  ensued,  and 
Macdonald,  in  his  inarches,  interposed  forests,  rivers,  &c., 
between  himself  and  his  pursuers,  to  baffle  them  in  their 
attempt  to  cut  oft'  his  retreat.  After  a  chase  of  80  miles, 
Macdonald  arrived  at  Moore's  Creek,  16  miles  from  Wil 
mington,  where  he  expected  to  join  Governor  Martin  and 
General  Clinton,  who  had  already  arrived  at  Cape  Fear. 
The  patriots,  in  close  pursuit,  not  only  prevented  the  junc 
tion,  but  compelled  him  to  fight :  his  troops  were  soon  seized 
with  a  panic,  and  ran  away  from  their  general,  who  was 
made  prisoner,  with  many  other  loyalists. 

This  untimely  movement  ruined  the  royal  cause  in  North 
Carolina  ;  and  as  the  trade  carried  on  from  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  was  the  source  from  which  the  provincials  derived 


280  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1776- 


the  means  for  the  warlike  preparations  of  the  south,  it  was 
supposed  that  its  reduction  would  not  only  stop  the  trade, 
but,  holding  the  capital,  they  expected  to  be  able  to  terrify 
the  entire  province  into  submission. 

The  city  being  situated  upon  the  very  coast,  where  the 
enemy's  boasted  naval  power  might  be  brought  into  requisi 
tion,  they  considered  this  operation  required  nothing  more 
than  to  come,  to  see,  and  to  conquer. 

In  referring  to  a  map  of  South  Carolina,  the  reader  will 
find  that  Sullivan's  Island  is  situated  on  a  part  of  the  sea  six 
miles  from  a  point  of  land,  formed  by  the  confluence  of  Ash 
ley  and  Cooper  rivers,  and  upon  which  Charleston  is  situated. 
This  island,  upon  which  stands  a  fort,  commands  the  channel 
leading  to  the  port,  and  no  vessel  could  enter  without  passing 
under  the  cannon  of  the  fort,  which  was  now  armed  with  36 
pieces  of  heavy  cannon  and  26  smaller. 

The  militia  of  the  whole  province  are  called  to  the  defence 
of  this  city,  and  the  call  is  quickly  obeyed.  In  a  few  days 
6000  men  had  assembled  with  fire-arms,  with  spades,  or  axes. 
Entrenchments  were  thrown  up  along  the  shore,  and  the 
roads  leading  to  the  sea  were  obstructed  by  abattis.  One 
regiment  was  sent  to  guard  James'  Island,  three  miles  from 
Charleston,  which  commands  the  whole  breadth  of  the  chan 
nel;  the  second  and  third  were  sent  to  occupy  Sullivan's 
Island.  The  second  was  commanded  by  William  Moultrie, 
who  was  charged  with  the  defence  of  the  fort,  which  now 
bears  his  name.  The  rest  of  the  troops  were  distributed  in 
various  places,  all  under  the  command  of  General  Lee. 

The  whole  British  fleet,  now  proceeding  to  Charleston, 
arrived  there  on  the  4th  of  June.  The  fleet  consisted  of  the 
Bristol  and  Experiment  of  50  guns ;  four  frigates,  the  Active, 
the  Acteon,  the  Solebay,  and  the  Syren,  of  28 ;  the  Sphinx 
of  20,  the  Friendship  of  24,  two  small  vessels  of  8,  and  the 
Thunder  bomb. 

The  enemy  having  constructed  two  batteries  of  cannon 
and  mortars  on  Long  Island,  to  answer  those  of  the  Ameri 
cans,  and  co-operate  with  the  floating  battery  destined  to 
cover  the  landing  of  the  troope  on  Sullivan's  Island,  resolved 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  281 


to  commence  the  reduction  of  the  fort  on  the  *28th  of  June,  as 
a  necessary  step  to  the  taking  of  the  city.  At  a  quarter  past 
eleven,  all  the  ships  having  got  springs  upon  their  cables, 
opened  a  tremendous  cannonade  upon  the  fort.  Three  of  the 
frigates  got  aground,  two  of  which  hove  oft',  but  the  Acteon 
stuck  fast,  and  was  set  on  fire  the  next  morning,  to  prevent 
her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  The  Thunder, 
by  the  time  she  had  discharged  about  sixty  bombs,  found 
herself  so  disabled  by  the  fire  from  the  fort,  that  she  discon 
tinued  her  tnunder.  The  enemy's  fleet  now  hailed  a  tem 
pest  of  balls  upon  the  fort,  and  Colonel  Moultrie,  with  375 
regulars,  and  a  few  militia,  hurled  the  iron  tempest  back 
again  with  such  cool  and  deliberate  aim,  as  to  produce  great 
havoc  among  the  English  ships.  Again  and  again  the  terrible 
peals  come  booming  over  the  sea,  and  the  distant  sea-monsters 
raise  their  uncouth  heads  in  amazement.  Captain  Morris, 
who  commanded  the  Acteon,  which  was  stranded,  had  already 
received  several  wounds,  and  nearly  all  his  men  were  killed. 
Admiral  Parker  himself  was  somewhat  bruised.  The  rigging 
of  some  of  the  vessels  was  torn  into  fragments,  the  sport  of 
the  winds,  which  exposed  them  to  the  fire  of  the  Americans, 
until  they  were  in  danger  of  being  sunk. 

"At  the  same  time,"  says  Stedman,  "  that  the  fleet  began 
firing,  the  batteries  on  Long  Island  opened.  At  12  o'clock, 
the  light  infantry,  grenadiers,  and  the  fifteenth  regiment,  em 
barked  in  boats  ;  the  floating  batteries  and  armed  craft  getting 
under  way  at  the  same  time,  to  cover  their  landing  on  Sulli 
van's  Island.  Scarcely,  however,  had  the  detachment  pro 
ceeded  from  Long  Island,  before  they  were  ordered  to  disem 
bark  and  return  to  their  encampment.  And  it  must  be 
confessed  that,  if  they  had  landed,  they  would  have  had  to 
struggle  with  difficulties  almost  insurmountable.  The  ground 
on  which  the  fort  stood  was  insulated,  by  a  broad  and  deep 
trench  cut  across  the  island,  and  this  canal  under  the  imme 
diate  command  of  the  guns  of  fort  Sullivan." 

The  ships  still  continued  an  incessant  fire  upon  the  fort, 
which  was  returned  with  great  spirit,  until  about  two  o'clock, 
when  the  firing  of  the  fort  gradually  died  away  into  silence ! 


282  THE  ARMY  ANP  NAVY.  [1776. 


Is  it  the  stillness  of  death,  or  does  prudence  teach  them  they 
must  for  the  present  yield  to  the  foe  ?  Already  do  the  enemy 
exult  in  a  victory  they  esteem  as  secure.  But,  hark !  the 
roar  begins  again — see,  the  fire  flashes  to  the  sky;  the  enemy's 
ships  quail  under  the  shock ;  the  rigging  again  falls ;  the 
splinters  are  again  hurled  far  out  into  the  sea ;  the  blood  of 
the  slain  again  flows  over  the  slippery  decks ;  the  sudden 
cries  and  the  dying  groans  of  the  wounded  are  again  mingled 
with  the  awful  din  of  war,  and  the  last  faint  spark  of  hope 
the  enemy  have  of  victory,  trembles  at  the  heart,  then  dies. 
The  ammunition  of  the  Americans  had  failed,  but  they  have 
received  a  supply. 

This  furious  cannonade  continued  until  between  nine  and 
ten  o'clock. 

"  In  this  day's  attack,"  says  the  enemy's  own  historian, 
"  the  Bristol  and  Experiment  suffered  most ;  the  fire  of  the 
enemy  being  principally  directed  against  them,  they  were 
left  almost  wrrecks  upon  the  water.  Early  on  the  morning 
of  the  29th,  the  light  infantry,  grenadiers,  and  the  fifteenth 
regiment  were  again  embarked,  and  almost  immediately  after 
wards  ordered  to  disembark.  In  this  inactive  state  did  af 
fairs  remain  until  the  15th  of  July,  when  orders  were  issued 
to  the  troops  to  embark  on  board  the  transports.  Sir  H. 
Clinton  had  been  greatly  deceived  in  his  information.  The 
passage  was  not  fordable  in  the  rear  of  the  fort ;  for  Sir 
Henry  and  several  other  officers  waded  up  to  their  shoulders, 
and  then,  on  finding  that  the  depth  of  water  increased,  returned. 
On  putting  the  boats,  in  which  were  the  artillery,  into  the 
wrater,  it  was  found  that  they  let  in  the  water  so  fast,  that 
they  must  sink." 

"  The  officers  and  men  of  the  artillery  who  were  in  them 
had  nearly  been  lost."  Poor  fellows ;  this  war  is  dangerous 
business  at  best,  and  as  the  shores  of  Sullivan's  Island  on  the 
other  side  of  this  arm  of  the  sea  look  rather  formidable,  it 
was  perhaps  a  fortunate  thing  that  they  loaded  their  boats 
so  heavily  as  to  be  obliged  to  return.  Well,  men  will  get 
mischievous  ideas  into  their  heads :  if  any  one  thinks  that  we 
allude  to  their  heavy  load  as  an  excuse  not  to  go  to  the  other 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  283 


side, — why,  he  is  not  much  mistaken.  Not  that  we  doubt 
Sir  Henry's  courage,  but  Sir  Henry  would  sooner  not  fight 
than  to  be  driven  back,  for  glory  is  not  won  at  all  times  by 
such  defeat,  and  it  often  plucks  a  feather,  sometimes  a  hand 
ful,  out  of  the  cap.  So,  my  boys,  we  better  can't  get  over. 

In  addition  to  what  we  have  already  quoted  from  Sted- 
rnan,  it  may  be  remarked,  that,  after  the  fire  of  the  28th,  the 
enemy,  finding  his  vessels  in  a  most  deplorable  condition,  and 
not  seeing  Sir  Henry  Clinton  take  the  fort  in  the  rear,  deter 
mined  to  abandon  the  enterprise.  The  next  morning  the 
ships  were  already  two  miles  from  the  island ;  and,  after  hav 
ing  re-embarked  the  troops,  they  sailed  for  New- York,  on  the 
15th  of  July,  where  they  expected  the  commander-in-chief, 
General  HowTe. 

The  fort  was  constructed  of  palmetto  wood,  which,  being 
soft  and  spongy,  broke  the  impetus  of  the  balls  without  doing 
much  injury.  It  was  as  good  as  cotton  bags,  behind  which 
another  hero  has  since  immortalized  his  name.  Some  idea 
may  be  formed  of  the  enemy's  fire  from  the  fact  that  7000 
loose  balls  were  picked  up  on  Sullivan's  Island  after  the  en 
gagement.  These,  I  presume,  the  Americans  afterwards  sent 
back  again. 

The  British  in  this  terrible  battle  had  not  only  their  ships 
nearly  torn  to  pieces,  but  200  men  were  killed  and  wounded, 
while  the  loss  of  the  Americans  wras  but  10  killed  and  22 
wounded. 

Congress  voted  their  thanks  to  Major-Genera!  Lee,  to  Col. 
Moultrie,  to  Col.  Thompson,  and  to  all  the  officers  and  sol 
diers,  all  having  displayed  equal  courage  and  bravery  in  this 
successful  defence. 

The  following  we  find  in  Goodrich,  from  M'Call's  Georgia : 

"Among  the  American  troops  who  resisted  the  British,  in 
their  attack  on  fort  Moultrie,  was  a  Sergeant  Jasper,  whose 
name  has  been  given  to  one  of  the  counties  in  Georgia,  in 
commemoration  of  his  gallant  deeds,  and  who  deserves  an 
honourable  notice  in  every  history  of  his  country.  In  the 
warmest  part  of  the  contest,  the  flag-staff  was  severed  by  a 
cannon-ball,  and  the  flag  fell  to  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  on 


284 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1776. 


the  outside  of  the  works.  This  accident  was  considered,  by 
the  anxious  inhabitants  of  Charleston,  as  putting  an  end  to 
the  contest,  by  striking  the  American  flag  to  the  en^my.  The 
moment  Jasper  made  the  discovery  that  the  flag  had  fallen, 
he  jumped  from  one  of  the  embrasures  and  took  up  the  flag, 
which  he  tied  to  a  post  and  replaced  it  on  the  parapet,  where 
he  supported  it  until  another  flag-staff  was  procured. 

"  The  subsequent  activity  and  enterprise  of  this  patriot 
induced  Colonel  Moultrie  to  give  him  a  sort  of  roving  com 
mission,  to  go  and  come  at  pleasure,  confident  that  he  was 
always  usefully  employed.  He  was  privileged  to  select  such 
men  from  the  regiment  as  he  should  choose,  to  accompany 
him  ipi  his  enterprises.  His  parties  consisted,  generally,  of 
five  or  six,  and  he  often  returned  with  prisoners  before  Moul 
trie  was  apprised  of  his  absence.  Jasper  was  distinguished 
for  his  humane  treatment  when  an  enemy  fell  into  his  power. 
His  ambition  appears  to  have  been  limited  to  the  character 
istics  of  bravery,  humanity,  and  usefulness  to  the  cause  in 
which  he  was  engaged.  By  his  cunning  and  enterprise,  he 
often  succeeded  in  the  capture  of  those  who  were  lying  in 
ambush  for  him.  He  entered  the  British  lines,  and  remained 
several  days  in  Savannah,  in  disguise,  and,  after  informing 
himself  of  their  strength  and  intentions,  returned  to  the  Ame 
rican  camp  with  useful  information  to  his  commanding 
officer. 

"  In  one  of  these  excursions,  an  instance  of  bravery  and  hu 
manity  is  recorded  by  the  biographer  of  General  Marion, 
which  could  not  be  credited  if  it  was  not  well  attested. 
While  he  was  examining  the  British  camp  at  Ebenezer,  all 
the  sympathy  of  his  heart  was  awakened  by  the  distresses  of 
a  Mrs.  Jones,  whose  husband,  an  American  by  birth,  had 
taken  the  king's  protection,  and  been  confined  in  irons  for  de 
serting  the  royal  cause,  after  he  had  taken  the  oath  of  alle 
giance.  Her  well-founded  belief  was,  that  nothing  short  of 
the  life  of  her  husband  would  atone  for  the  offence  with  which 
he  was  charged.  Anticipating  the  awful  scene  of  a  beloved 
husband  expiring  on  the  gibbet,  had  excited  inexpressible 
emotions  of  grief  and  distraction.  Jasper  secretly  consulted 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  285 


with  his  companion,  Sergeant  Newton,  whose  feelings  for 
the  distressed  female  and  her  child  were  equally  excited  with 
his  own,  upon  the  practicability  of  releasing  Jones  from  his 
impending  fate.  Though  they  were  unable  to  suggest  a  plan 
of  operation,  they  were  determined  to  watch  for  the  most  fa 
vourable  opportunity,  and  make  the  effort. 

The  departure  of  Jones  and  several  others,  all  in  irons,  to 
Savannah  for  trial,  under  a  guard  consisting  of  a  sergeant, 
corporal,  and  eight  men,  was  ordered  upon  the  succeeding 
morning.  Within  two  miles  of  Savannah,  about  thirty  yards 
from  the  main  road,  is  a  spring  of  fine  water,  surrounded  by 
a  deep  and  thick  underwood,  where  travellers  often  halt  to 
refresh  themselves  with  a  cool  draught  from  this  pure  foun 
tain.  Jasper  and  his  companion  selected  this  spot  as  the  most 
favourable  for  their  enterprise.  They  accordingly  passed  the 
ground,  and  concealed  themselves  near  the  spring. 

When  the  enemy  came  up,  they  halted,  and  two  of  the 
guard  only  remained  with  the  prisoners,  while  the  others 
leaned  their  guns  against  trees  in  a  careless  manner,  and 
went  to  the  spring.  Jasper  and  Newton  sprung  from  their 
place  of  concealment,  seized  two  of  the  muskets,  and  shot  the 
sentinels.  The  possession  of  all  the  arms  placed  the  enemy 
in  their  power,  and  compelled  them  to  surrender.  The  irons 
were  taken  off  from  the  prisoners,  and  arms  put  into  their 
hands.  The  wrhole  party  arrived  at  Perryburg  the  next 
morning,  and  joined  the  American  camp.  There  are  but  few 
instances  upon  record  where,.personal  exertions,  even  for  self- 
preservation  from  certain  prospect  of  death,  would  have  in 
duced  a  resort  to  an  act  so  desperate  of  execution ;  how  much 
more  laudable  was  this,  where  the  spring  to  action  was  roused 
by  the  lamentations  of  a  female  unknown  to  the  adventurers 

"  Those  falling  drops  by  woman  shed. 
Full  many  a  captured  heart  have  led." 

"  Subsequently  to  the  gallant  defence  at  Sullivan's  Island 
Colonel  Moultrie's  regiment  was  presented  with  a  stand  of 
colours  by  Mrs.  Elliot,  which  she  had  richly  embroiderec 
with  her  own  hands  ;  and,  as  a  reward  to  Jasper's  particular 
merits,  Governor  Rutledge  presented  him  with  a  very  hand 


286  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 


some  sword.  During  the  assault  against  Savannah,  two  offi 
cers  had  been  killed  and  one  wounded,  endeavouring  to  plant 
these  colours  upon  the  enemy's  parapet  of  the  SpringhilJ  re 
doubt.  Just  before  the  retreat  was  ordered.  Jasper  endea 
voured  to  replace  them  upon  the  works,  and  while  he  was  in 
the  act,  received  a  mortal  wound  and  fell  into  the  ditch. 
When  a  retreat  was  ordered,  he  recollected  the  honorable 
condition  upon  which  the  donor  presented  the  colours  to  his 
regiment,  and  among  the  last  acts  of  his  life,  succeeded  in 
bringing  them  off. 

Major  Horry  called  to  see  him  soon  after  the  retreat,  to 
whom,  it  is  said,  he  made  the  following  communication :  "  I 
have  got  my  furlough.  That  sword  was  presented  to  me  by 
Governor  Rutledge,  for  my  services  in  the  defence  of  fort 
Moultrie.  Give  it  to  my  father,  and  tell  him  I  have  worn  it 
with  honour.  If  he  should  weep,  tell  him  his  son  died  in  the 
hope  of  a  better  life.  Tell  Mrs.  Elliot  that  I  lost  my  life, 
supporting  the  colours  which  she  presented  to  our  regiment. 
If  you  should  ever  see  Jones,  his  wife  and  son,  tell  them  that 
Jasper  is  gone ;  but,  that  the  remembrance  of  the  battle  which 
he  fought  for  them,  brought  a  secret  joy  to  his  heart  when  it 
was  about  to  stop  its  motion  forever."  He  expired  a  few 
minutes  after  closing  this  sentence. 

The  unrelenting  and  protracted  obstinacy  of  the  British 
government  refusing  to  be  just,  and  the  successes  of  the 
Americans,  especially  at  fort  Moultrie,  prepared  their  rninds 
for  independence.  Congress,  closely  observing  the  tide  of 
affairs,  and  the  current  of  public  opinion,  seized  on  this  fa 
vourable  opportunity  to  effect  a  total  separation  of  the  colo 
nies  from  the  mother  country. 

Accordingly,  on  the  8th  of  June,  a  resolution  was  moved 
in  Congress,  by  Richard  Henry  Lee,  and  seconded  by  John 
Adams,  in  the  following  words : 

"  Resolved,  that  these  United  Colonies  are,  and  of  right 
ought  to  be,  free  and  independent  states ;  and  that  all  political 
connection  between  them  and  Great  Britain  is,  and  ought  to 
be,  dissolved." 


REVOLUTION,  387 


In  support  of  this  resolution  Lee  spoke  as  follows,  and  was 
heard  with  profound  attention  : 

"  I  know  not,  whether  among  all  the  civil  discords  which 
have  been  recorded  by  historians,  and  which  have  been  ex 
cited  either  by  love  of  liberty  in  the  people  or  by  the  ambi 
tion  of  princes,  there  has  ever  been  presented  a  deliberation, 
more  interesting  or  more  important  than  that  which  now  en 
gages  our  attention ;  whether  we  consider  the  future  destiny 
of  this  free  and  virtuous  people,  or  that  of  our  enemies  them 
selves;  who,  notwithstanding  their  tyranny  and  this  cruel 
war,  are  still  our  brethren,  and  descended  from  a  common 
stock ;  or,  finally,  that  of  the  other  nations  of  the  globe, 
whose  eyes  are  intent  upon  the  great  spectacle,  and  who  anti 
cipate  from  our  success  more  freedom  for  themselves,  or  from 
our  defeat  apprehend  heavier  chains  and  a  severer  bondage. 
For  the  question  is  not  whether  we  shall  acquire  an  increase 
of  territorial  dominion,  or  wickedly  wrest  from  others  their 
just  possessions,  but,  whether  we  shall  preserve,  or  lose  for 
ever,  that  liberty  which  we  have  inherited  from  our  ancestors, 
which  we  have  pursued  across  tempestuous  seas,  and  which 
we  have  defended  in  this  land  against  barbarous  men,  fero 
cious  beasts,  and  an  inclement  sky.  And  if  so  many  and 
distinguished  praises  have  always  been  lavished  upon  the 
generous  defenders  of  Greek  and  of  Roman  liberty,  what  will 
be  said  of  us,  who  defend  a  liberty  which  is  founded,  not 
upon  the  capricious  will  of  an  unstable  multitude,  but  upon 
immutable  statutes  and  tutelary  laws ;  not  that  which  was 
the  exclusive  privilege  of  a  few  patricians,  but  that  which 
is  the  property  of  all ;  not  that  which  was  stained  by  iniqui 
tous  ostracisms,  or  the  horrible  decimation  of  armies,  but 
that  which  is  pure,  temperate,  and  gentle,  and  conformed 
to  the  civilization  of  the  present  age.  Why  then  do  we  longer 
procrastinate,  and  wherefore  are  these  delays  ?  Let  us  com 
plete  the  enterprise  already  so  well  commenced ;  and  since 
our  union  with  England  can  no  longer  consist  with  that 
liberty  and  peace  which  are  our  chief  delight,  let  us  dissolve 
these  fatal  ties,  and  conquer  forever  that  good  which  we  al 
ready  enjoy ;  an  entire  and  absolute  independence. 


288  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 


"  But  ought  I  not  to  begin  by  observing  that,  if  we  have 
reached  that  violent  extremity,  beyond  which  nothing  can 
any  longer  exist  between  America  and  England,  but  either 
such  war  or  such  peace  as  are  made  between  foreign  nations, 
this  can  only  be  imputed  to  the  insatiable  cupidity,  the  tyran 
nical  proceedings,  and  the  outrages,  for  ten  years  reiterated, 
of  the  British  ministers  1  What  have  we  not  done  to  restore 
peace,  to  re-establish  harmony  ?  Who  has  not  heard  our 
prayers,  and  who  is  ignorant  of  our  supplications  ?  They 
have  wearied  the  universe.  England  alone  was  deaf  to  our 
complaints,  and  wanted  that  compassion  towards  us,  which 
we  have  found  among  all  other  nations.  And  as,  at  first,  our 
forbearance,  and  then  our  resistance,  have  proved  equally  in 
sufficient  ;  since  our  prayers  were  unavailing,  as  well  as  the 
blood  lately  shed,  we  must  go  further,  and  proclaim  our  in 
dependence.  Nor  let  any  one  believe  that  we  have  any  other 
option  left.  The  time  will  certainly  come  when  the  fated 
separation  must  take  place,  whether  you  will  or  no ;  for  so  it 
is  decreed  by  the  very  nature  of  things — the  progressive  in 
crease  of  our  population,  the  fertility  of  our  soil,  the  extent 
of  our  territory,  the  industry  of  our  countrymen,  and  the 
immensity  of  the  ocean  which  separates  the  two  states.  And 
if  this  be  true,  as  it  is  most  true,  who  does  not  see  that  the 
sooner  it  takes  place  the  better ;  and  that  it  would  be  not 
only  imprudent,  but  the  height  of  folly,  not  to  seize  the  pre 
sent  occasion,  when  British  injustice  has  filled  all  hearts  with 
indignation,  inspired  all  minds  with  courage,  united  all 
opinions  in  one,  and  put  arms  in  every  hand  ?  And  how  long 
must  we  traverse  three  thousand  miles  of  a  stormy  sea,  to  go 
and  solicit  of  arrogant  and  insolent  men,  either  counsels  or 
commands  to  regulate  our  domestic  affairs?  Does  it  not 
become  a  great,  rich,  and  powerful  nation,  as  we  are,  to  look 
at  home,  and  not  abroad,  for  the  government  of  its  own  con 
cerns  ?  And  how  can  a  ministry  of  strangers  judge,  with  any 
discernment,  of  our  interests,  wrhen  they  knowr  not,  and  when 
it  little  imports  them  to  know,  what  is  good  for  us,  and  what 
is  not  ?  The  past  justice  of  the  British  ministers  should  warn 
us  against  the  future,  if  they  should  ever  seize  us  again  in 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  289 


their  cruel  claws.  Since  it  has  pleased  our  barbarous  ene 
mies  to  place  before  us  the  alternative  of  slavery  or  of  inde 
pendence,  where  is  the  generous  minded  man,  and  the  lover 
of  his  country,  who  can  hesitate  to  choose  1  With  these  per 
fidious  men  no  promise  is  secure,  no  pledges  sacred.  Let  us 
suppose — which  Heaven  avert ! — that  we  are  conquered ;  let 
us  suppose  an  accommodation.  What  assurance  have  we  of 
the  British  moderation  in  victory  or  good  faith  in  treaty  ?  Is 
it  their  having  enlisted  and  let  loose  against  us  the  ferocious 
Indians  and  the  merciless  soldiers  of  Germany'?  Is  it  that 
faith,  so  often  pledged  and  so  often  violated  in  the  course  of 
the  present  contest ;  this  British  faith,  which  is  reputed  more 
false  than  Punic  ?  We  ought  rather  to  expect,  that  when  we 
shall  have  fallen,  naked  and  unarmed  into  their  hands,  they 
will  wreak  upon  us  their  fury  and  their  vengeance ;  they  will 
load  us  with  heavier  chains,  in  order  to  deprive  us  not  only 
of  the  power,  but  even  of  the  hope  of  again  recovering  our 
liberty.  But  I  am  willing  to  admit,  although  it  is  a  thing 
without  example,  that  the  British  government  will  forget  past 
offences  and  perform  its  promises ;  can  we  imagine  that  after 
so  long  dissensions,  after  so  many  outrages,  so  many  combats, 
and  so  much  bloodshed,  our  reconciliation  could  be  durable, 
and  that  every  day,  in  the  midst  of  so  much  hatred  and  ran 
cour,  would  not  afford  fresh  subject  of  animosity  ?  The  two 
nations  are  already  separated  in  interest  and  affections;  the 
one  is  conscious  of  its  ancient  strength,  the  other  has  become 
acquainted  with  its  newly  exerted  force ;  the  one  desires  to 
rule  in  an  arbitrary  manner,  the  other  will  not  obey,  even  if 
allowed  its  privileges.  In  such  a  state  of  things,  what  peace, 
what  concord  can  be  expected  ?  The  Americans  may  become 
faithful  friends  to  the  English,  but  subjects,  never.  And  even 
lliough  union  could  be  restored  without  rancour,  it  could  not 
without  danger.  The  wealth  and  power  of  Great  Britain 
should  inspire  prudent  men  with  fears  for  the  future.  Having 
reached  such  a  height  of  grandeur  that  she  has  no  longer  any 
thing  to  dread  from  foreign  powers,  in  the  security  of  peace 
the  spirit  of  her  people  will  decay ;  manners  will  be  corrupted; 
her  youth  will  grow  up  in  the  midst  of  vice ;  and  in  this  state 

37  « 


290  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [J776. 


of  degeneration,  England  will  become  the  prey  of  a  foreign 
enemy,  or  an  ambitious  citizen.  If  we  remain  united  with 
her,  we  shall  partake  of  her  corruptions  and  misfortunes,  the 
more  to  be  dreaded  as  they  will  be  irreparable ;  separated 
from  her,  on  the  contrary,  as  we  are,  we  should  neither  have 
to  fear  the  seductions  of  peace,  nor  the  dangers  of  war.  By 
a  declaration  of  our  freedom,  the  perils  would  not  be  increased; 
but  we  should  add  to  the  ardour  of  our  defenders,  and  to  the 
splendour  of  victory. 

"  Let  us  then  take  a  firm  step,  and  escape  from  this  laby 
rinth  ;  we  have  assumed  the  sovereign  power,  and  dare  not 
confess  it. :  we  disobi ;\  a  king,  and  acknowledge  ourselves  his 
subjects ;  wage  war  against  a  people,  whom  we  incessantly 
protest  our  desire  to  defend.  What  is  the  consequence  of  so 
many  inconsistencies?  Hesitation  paralyzes  all  our  mea 
sures  ;  the  way  we  ought  to  pursue  is  not  marked  out ;  our 
generals  are  neither  iv-  >ected  nor  obeyed,  our  soldiers  have 
neither  confidence  nor  :  nl;  feeble  at  home,  and  little  con 
sidered  abroad,  foreign  princes  can  neither  esteem  nor  suc 
cour  so  timid  arid  wavering  a  people.  But  independence  once 
proclaimed,  and  our  object  avowed,  more  manly  and  decided 
measures  will  be  adopted;  all  minds  will  be  fired  by  the 
greatness  of  the  enterprise,  the  civil  magistrates  will  be  in 
spired  with  new  zeal,  the  generals  with  fresh  ardour,  and  the 
citizens  with  greater  constancy,  to  attain  so  high  and  so  glo 
rious  a  destiny.  Theiv  are  some  who  seem  to  dread  the 
effects  of  this  resolution.  But  will  England,  or  can  she, 
manifest  against  us  greater  vigour  and  rage  than  she  has 
already  displayed  ?  She  deems  resistance  against  oppression 
no  less  rebellion  than  independence  itself.  And  where  are 
those  formidable  troops  that  are  to  subdue  the  Americans? 
What  the  English  could  not  do,  can  it  be  done  by  Germans  ? 
Are  they  more  brave  or  better  disciplined  ?  The  number  of 
our  enemies  is  increased  ;  but  our  own  is  not  diminished,  and 
the  battles  we  have  sustained  have  given  us  the  practice  of 
arms  and  the  experience  of  war.  Who  doubts,  then,  that 
a  declaration  of  independence  will  procure  us  allies?  All 
nations  are  desirous  of  procuring,  by  commerce,  the  produc- 


DEVOLUTION.  291 


tious  of  our  exuberant  soil ;  they  will  visit  our  ports,  hitherto 
closed  by  the  mono-poly  of  insatiable  England.  They  are  no 
less  eager  to  contemplate  the  reduction  of  her  hated  power; 

I  they  all  loathe  her  barbarous  dominion ;  their  succours  will 
evince  to  our  fjrave  countrymen  the  gratitude  they  bear  them 
for  having  bfxm  the  first  to  shake  the  foundations  of  this  Co 
lossus.  Foreign  princes  wait  only  for  the  extinction  of  all 
hazard  o/i*  reconciliation,  to  throw  off  their  present  reserve. 
If  this  measure  is  useful,  it  is  no  less  becoming  our  dignity. 
America  has  arrived  at  a  degree  of  power  which  assigns  her 
a  place  among  independent  nations;  we  are  not  less  entitled 
to  it  than  the  English  themselves.  If  they  have  wealth,  so 
also  have  we ;  if  they  are  brave,  so  arc  we :  if  they  are  nu 
merous,  our  population,  through  the  incredible  fruitfuiness  of 
our  chaste  wives,  will  soon  equal  theirs :  if  they  have  men 
of  renown  as  well  in  p^ace  as  in  war.  we  likewise  have  such ; 
political  revolutions  usually  produce  great,  brave,  and  gene 
rous  spirits.  From  what  wo  have  already  achieved  in  these 
painful  beginnings,  it  is  easy  to  presume  what  we  shall  here 
after  accomplish ;  for  experience  is  the  source  of  sage  coun 
sels,  and  liberty  is  the  mother  of  great  men.  Have  you  not 
seen  the  enemy  driven  from  Lexington  by  thirty  thousand 
citizens  armed  and  assembled  in  one  day '?  Already  their 
most  celebrated  generals  have  yielded  in  Boston  to  the  skill 
of  ours ;  already  their  seamen,  repulsed  from  our  coasts, 
wander  over  the  ocean,  where  they  are  the  sport  of  tempest, 
and  the  prey  of  famine.  Let  us  hail  the  favourable  omen, 
and  fight  not  for  the  sake  of  knowing  on  what  terms  we  are 
to  be  the  slaves  of  England,  but  to  secure  to  ourselves  a  free 
existence,  to  found  a  just  and  independent  government.  Ani 
mated  by  liberty,  the  Greeks  repulsed  the  innumerable  army 
of  Persians ;  sustained  by  the  love  of  independence,  the  Swiss 

[  and  the  Dutch  humbled  the  power  of  Austria  by  memorable 
defeats,  and  conquered  a  rank  among  nations.  But  the  sun 
of  America  also  shines  upon  the  heads  of  the  brave ;  the  point 
of  our  weapons  is  no  less  formidable  than  theirs ;  here  also 
the  same  union  prevails,  the  same  contempt  of  dangers  and 

of  death  in  asserting  the  cause  of  country. 


29*2  THE    ARMY    AJiX>    NAVY.  [1776. 

*  Why  then  do  we  longer  delay ;  why  still  deliberate  ?  Let 
this  most  happy  day  give  birth  to  She  American  republic. 
Let  her  arise,  not  to  devastate  and  conquer,  but  to  re-establish 
the  reign  of  peace  and  of  the  laws.  The  eyes  of  Europe  are 
fixed  upon  us ;  she  demands  of  us  a  living  example  of  freedom, 
that  may  contrast,  by  the  felicity  of  the  citizens,  with  the 
ever-increasing  tyranny  which  desolates  her  polluted  shores. 
She  invites  us  to  prepare  an  asylum  where  the  unhappy  may 
find  solace,  and  the  persecuted  repose.  She  injreats  us  to 
cultivate  a  propitious  soil,  where  that  generous  pl&nt,  which 
first  sprung  up  and  grew  in  England,  but  is  now  withered  by 
the  poisonous  blasts  of  Scottish  tyranny,  may  revivo  and 
flourish,  sheltering  under  its  salubrious  and  interminable 
shade,  all  the  unfortunate  of  the  human  race.  This  is  the 
end  presaged  by  so  many  omens ;  by  our  first  victories ;  by 
the  present  ardour  and  union  ;  by  the  flight  of  Howe,  and  the 
pestilence  which  broke  out  among  Dunmore's  people ;  by  the 
very  wrinds  which  baffled  the  enemy's  fleets  and  transports, 
and  that  terrible  tempest  which  engulfed  700  vessels  upon 
the  coasts  of  Newfoundland,  If  we  are  not,  this  day, 
wanting  in  our  duty  to  our  country,  the  names  of  the  Ameri 
can  legislators  will  be  placed,  by  posterity,  at  the  side  of  those 
of  Theseus,  rf  Lycurgus,  of  Romulus,  of  Numa,  of  the  three 
Williams  of  Nassau,  and  of  all  those  whose  memory  has  been, 
arid  will  be,  forever  dear  to  virtuous  men  and  good  citizens." 

Owing  to  the  absence  of  the  deputies  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland,  as  well  as  to  the  desire  of  manifesting  a  maturity 
of  their  del  ibe  rat  ions,  the  farther  consideration  of  the  subject 
was  postponed  until  the  1st  of  July. 

This  was  a  period  of  intense  feeling  and  anxiety.  The 
fearful  uncertainty  of  the  fate  that  awaited  them,  rendered 
the  situation  of  the  people  peculiarly  painful.  The  minds  of 
many  moved  like  a  pendulum  between  hope  and  fear  ;  seeking 
anxiously  for  the  happy  medium  between  monarchy  and 
anarchy — the  Sylla  and  Charybdis  between  which  they  were, 
or  thought  they  were,  sailing. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  the  subject  was  resumed,  and  the  des 
tiny  of  the  nation  carefully  weighed  in  the  minds  of  the  im- 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  293 


mortal  sages  of  Congress ;  arid  on  the  fourth  of  July,  the  report 
of  the  committee,  consisting  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  John  Adams, 
Benjamin  Franklin,  Roger  Sherman,  and  Philip  Livingston, 
was  adopted,  dissolving  the  allegiance  of  the  colonies  to  the 
British  crown,  and  declaring  them  free  and  independent,  under 
the  name  of  the  Thirteen  United  States  of  America. 

The  declaration  of  independence  is  attributed  to  Thomas 
Jefferson.  Congress  caused  it  to  be  published  to  the  world 
in  justification  of  their  resolution  to  form  an  independent 
government. 

This  able  manifesto,  which  appeals  to  the  common  sense, 
and  thrills  the  souls  of  men  who  feel  for  the  welfare  of  their 
race — which  always  has,  and  always  will  receive  the  highest 
encomiums  from  all  who  know  their  rights  and  the  rights  of 
mankind,  we  shall  give  entire. 

DECLARATION  OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

IN    CONGRESS,    JULY    4TH,    1776. 

When,  in  the  course  of  human  events,  it  becomes  necessary 
for  one  people  to  dissolve  the  political  bands  which  have  con 
nected  them  with  another,  and  to  assume,  among  the  powers 
of  the  earth,  the  separate  and  equal  station  to  which  the  laws 
of  Nature  and  of  Nature's  God  entitle  them,  a  decent  respect 
to  the  opinions  of  mankind  requires  that  they  should  declare 
the  causes  which  impel  them  to  the  separation. 

We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident : — that  all  men  are 
created  equal ;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with 
certain  unalienable  rights ;  that  among  these  are  life,  liberty, 
and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  That,  to  secure  these  rights, 
governments  are  instituted  among  men,  deriving  their  just 
powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed  ;  that  whenever  any 
form  of  government  becomes  destructive  of  these  ends,  it  is 
the  right  of  the  people  to  alter  or  abolish  it ;  and  to  institute 
new  governments,  laying  its  foundation  on  such  principles, 
and  organizing  its  powers  in  such  form,  as  to  them  shall  seem 
most  likely  to  effect  their  safety  and  happiness. 

Prudence,  indeed,  will  dictate,  that  governments  longestab- 


<>94  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 


ished  should  not  be  changed  for  light  and  transient  causes ; 
nd  accordingly  all  experience  hath  shown,  that  mankind  are 
more  disposed  to  suffer  while  evils  are  suflferable,  than  to 
ight  themselves  by  abolishing  the  forms  to  which  they  are 
accustomed.     But  when  a  long  train  of  abuses  and  usurpa 
tions,  pursuing  invariably  the  same  object,  evinces  a  design 
to  reduce  them  under  absolute  despotism,  it  is  their  right,  it 
s  their  duty,  to  throw  oft*  such  government,  and  to  provide 
new  guards  for  their  future  security. 

Such  has  been  the  patient  sufferance  of  these  colonies ;  and 
rach-is  now  the  necessity  which  constrains  them  to  alter  their 
Former  system  of  government.  The  history  of  the  present 

n<r  of  Great  Britain,  is  a  history  of  repeated  injuries  and 
usurpations,  all  having  in  direct  object  the  establishment  of 
absolute  tyranny  over  these  States.  To  prove  this,  let 
facts  be  submitted  to  a  candid  world : 

He  has  refused  his  assent  to  laws  the  most  wholesome  and 
necessary  for  the  public  good.  He  has  forbidden  his  gover 
nors  to  pass  laws  of  immediate  and  pressing  importance,  un 
less  suspended  in  their  operation,  till  his  assent  should  be 
obtained;  and  when  so  suspended,  he  has  utterly  neglected 
to  attend  to  them. 

He  has  refused  to  pass  other  laws  for  the  accommodation 
of  large  districts  of  people,  unless  those  people  would  relin 
quish  the  right  of  representation  in  the  legislature :  a  righi 
inestimable  to  them,  and  formidable  to  tyrants  only. 

He  has  called  together  legislative  bodies  at  places  unusual 
uncomfortable,  and  distant  from  the  repository  of  their  public 
records,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  fatiguing  them  into  compli 
ance  with  his  measures.  He  has  dissolved  representative 
houses  repeatedly,  for  opposing,  with  manly  firmness,  his 
invasions  on  the  rights  of  the  people. 

He  has  refused,  for  a  long  time  after  such  dissolutions,  to 
cause  others  to  be  elected ;  whereby  the  legislative  powers 
incapable  of  annihilation,  have  returned  to  the  people  ai 
large,  for  their  exercise,  the  State  remaining,  in  the  mean 
time,  exposed  to  all  the  dangers  of  invasion  from  without 
and  convulsions  within. 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  295 

He  has  endeavoured  to  prevent  •  the  population  of  these 
states;  for  that  purpose  obstructing  the  laws  for  naUinili/.u- 
tion  of  foreigners ;  refusing  to  pass  others  to  encourage  their 
migration  hither,  and  raising  the  conditions  of  new  appro 
priations  of  lands.  He  has  obstructed  the  administration  of 
justice,  by  refusing  his  assent  to  laws  for  establishing  judi 
ciary  powers. 

He  has  made  judges  dependent  on  his  will  alone,  for  the 
tenure  of  their  offices,  and  the  amount  and  payment  of  their 
salaries.  He  has  erected  a  multitude  of  new  offices,  and  sent 
hither  swarms  of  officers,  to  harass  our  people,  and  eat  out 
their  substance.  He  has  kept  among  us,  in  times  of  peace, 
standing  armies,  without  the  consent  of  our  legislatures.  He 
has  affected  to  render  the  military  independent  of,  and  supe 
rior  to,  the  civil  power. 

He  has  combined  with  others  to  subject  us  to  jurisdiction 
foreign  to  our  constitution,  and  unacknowledged  by  our  laws, 
giving  his  assent  to  their  acts  of  pretended  legislation :  For 
quartering  large  bodies  of  armed  troops  among  us :  For  pro 
tecting  them,  by  a  mock  trial,  from  punishment  for  any  mur 
ders  which  they  should  commit  on  the  inhabitants  of  these 
states  :  For  cutting  off  our  trade  with  all  parts  of  the  world  : 
For  imposing  taxes  on  us  without  our  consent : 

For  depriving  us,  in  many  cases,  of  the  benefits  of  trial  by 
jury:  For  transporting  us  beyond  seas  to  be  tried  for  pre 
tended  offences :  For  abolishing  the  free  system  of  English 
laws  in  a  neighbouring  province,  establishing  therein  an  arbi 
trary  government,  and  enlarging  its  boundaries,  so  as  to  ren 
der  it  at  once  an  example  and  fit  instrument  for  introducing 
the  same  absolute  rule  into  these  colonies :  For  taking  away 
our  charters,  abolishing  our  most  valuable  laws,  and  altering, 
fundamentally,  the  forms  of  our  governments :  For  suspend 
ing  our  own  legislatures,  and  declaring  themselves  invested 
with  power  to  legislate  for  us  in  all  cases  whatsoever. 

He  has  abdicated  government  here,  by  declaring  us  out  of 
his  protection,  and  waging  war  against  us.  He  has  plun 
dered  our  seas,  ravaged  our  coasts,  burnt  our  towns,  and  de 
stroyed  the  lives  of  our  people.  He  is  at  this  time  transport- 


296  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1776. 


ing  large  armies  of  foreign  mercenaries  to  complete  the  works 
of  death,  desolation,  and  tyranny,  already  begun  with  cir 
cumstances  of  cruelty  and  perfidy,  scarcely  paralleled  in  the 
most  barbarous  ages,  and  totally  unworthy  the  head  of  a  civil 
ized  nation. 

He  has  constrained  our  fellow-citizens,  taken  captive  on 
the  high  seas,  to  bear  arms  against  their  country,  to  become 
the  executioners  of  their  friends  and  brethren,  or  to  fall  them 
selves  by  their  hands.  He  has  excited  domestic  insurrec 
tions  amongst  us,  and  has  endeavoured  to  bring  on  the  in 
habitants  of  our  frontiers  the  merciless  Indian  savages,  whose 
known  rule  of  warfare  is  an  undistinguished  destruction  of  all 
ages,  sexes,  and  conditions. 

In  every  stage  of  these  oppressions  we  have  petitioned  for 
redress  in  the  most  humble  terms ;  our  repeated  petitions 
have  been  answered  only  by  repeated  injury.  A  prince, 
whose  character  is  thus  marked  by  every  act  which  may 
define  a  tyrant,  is  unfit  to  be  the  ruler  of  a  free  people. 

Nor  have  we  been  wanting  in  attention  to  our  British 
brethren.  We  have  warned  them  from  time  to  time,  of  at 
tempts  by  their  legislature  to  extend  an  unwarrantable  jurisdic 
tion  over  us.  We  have  reminded  them  of  the  circumstances 
of  our  emigration  and  settlement  here.  We  have  appealed 
to  their  native  justice  and  magnanimity,  and  we  have  con 
jured  them  by  the  ties  of  our  common  kindred,  to  disavow 
these  usurpations,  which  would  inevitably  interrupt  our  con 
nexions  and  correspondence.  They  too  have  been  deaf  to 
the  voice  of  justice  and  of  consanguinity.  We  must,  there 
fore,  acquiesce  in  the  necessity  which  denounces  our  separa 
tion,  and  hold  them  as  we  hold  the  rest  of  mankind,  enemies 
in  war,  in  peace  friends. 

We,  therefore,  the  representatives  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  in  general  congress  assembled,  appealing  to  the 
Supreme  Judge  of  the  world  for  the  rectitude  of  our  inten 
tions,  do,  in  the  name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  good  peo 
ple  of  these  colonies,  solemnly  publish  and  declare,  that  these 
united  colonies  are,  and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and  inde 
pendent  states ;  that  they  are  absolved  from  all  allegiance  to 


1776.] 


REVOLUTION. 


297 


the  British  crown,  and  that  all  political  connexion  between 
them  and  the  state  of  Great  Britain,  is,  and  ought  to  be,  to 
tally  dissolved ;  and  that,  as  free  and  independent  states, 
they  have  full  power  to  levy  war,  conclude  peace,  contract 
alliances,  establish  commerce,  and  to  do  all  other  acts  and 
things  which  independent  states  may  of  right  do.  And  for 
the  support  of  this  declaration,  with  a  firm  reliance  on  the 
protection  of  Divine  Providence,  we  mutually  pledge  to  each 
other  our  lives,  our  fortunes,  and  our  sacred  honour. 
John  Hancock,  President,  from  Massachusetts. 


NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 
Josiah  Bartlett, 
William  Whipple, 
Matthew  Thornton. 

MASSACHUSETTS. 
Samuel  Adams, 
John  Adams, 
Robert  Treat  Painq 
Eldridge  Gerry. 

RHODE  ISLANB. 
Stephen  Hopkins, 
William  -Ellery. 

CONNECTICUT. 
Roger  Sherman, 
Samuel  Huntingtora, 
William  Williams, 
Oliver  Wolcott. 
DELAWARE. 
Caesar  Rodney, 
George  Read. 

PENNSYLVANIA. 
Robert  Morris, 
Benjamin  Rush, 
Benjamin  Franklin, 

LJohn  Morton, 
George  Clymer, 
James  Smith, 
George  Taylor, 


James  Wilson, 
George  Ross. 

MARYLAND. 
Samuel  Chase, 
William  Paca, 
Thomas  Stone, 
Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton. 

VIRGINIA. 
George  Wythe, 
Richard  Henry  Lee, 
Thomas  Jefferson, 
Benjamin  Harrison, 
Thomas  Nelson,  jr., 
Francis  Lightfoot  Lee, 
Carter  Braxton. 

NEW  YORK. 
William  Floyd.. 
Philip  Livingston, 
Francis  Lewis, 
Lewis  Morris. 

NEW  JERSEY. 
Richard  Stockton, 
John  Witherspoon, 
Francis  Hopkinson, 
John  Hart, 
Abraham  Clark. 

NORTH  CAROLINA. 
William  Hooper, 


38 


298  THE    ARMY    AJND    NAVY.  [1776. 


Joseph  Hewes,  SOUTH  CAROLINA, 

John  Pemi.  Edward  Rutledge, 

GEORGIA,  Thomas  Hay  wood,  Jr., 

Button  Gwinnett,  Thomas  Lynch,  Jr., 

Lyman  HalL  Arthur  Middleton, 

George  Walton. 

The  joy  of  the  people  on  receiving  this  declaration  exceeded 
ail  bounds. 

In  Philadelphia,  the  artillery  was  fired,  bonfires- were  kindled, 
and  all  kinds  of  public  rejoicings  t«ok  place.  In  New  York, 
the  statue  of  George  III.  was  taken  down,  and  after  dragging 
it  through  the  streets,  the  sons  of  liberty  decided  that  the 
lead  of  which  it  was  composed  should  be  converted  into 
musket-balls, 

In  Boston,  the  garrispn  was  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle  in 
King  street,  (which  from  that  time  took  the  name  of  State 
street,)  and  thirteen  salutes  were  fired  by  thirteen  detach 
ments,  into  which  the  troops  were  divided;  the  bells  were 
rung ;  the  ensigns  of  royalty — lions,  sceptres,  and  crowns — 
were  torn  to  pieces  and  committed  to  the  flames. 

In  Virginia,  it  wras  decreed  by  the  convention  that  the 
king's  name  should  be  suppressed  in  all  the  public  prayers ; 
and  it  was  ordained  that  the  seal  of  the  commonwealth  of 
Virginia  should  represent  Virtue  as  the  tutelary  genius  of  the 
province,  robed  in  the  drapery  of  an  Amazon ;  resting  one 
hand  upon  her  lance,  and  holding  with  the  other  a  sword ; 
trampling  upon  tyranny,  under  the  figure  of  a  prostrate  man; 
having  near  him  a.  crown  fallen  from  his  head,  and  bearing  in 
one  hand  a  broken  chain,  and  in  the  other  a  scourge.  At  foot 
was  charactered  the  word  Virginia ;  and  round  the  effigy  of 
Virtue  was  inscribed,  Sic  semper  tyrannis.  The  reverse  re 
presented  a  group  of  figures ;  in  the  middle  stood  Liberty 
with  her  wand  and  cap ;  on  one  side  was  Ceres,  with  the 
horn  of  plenty  in  the  right  hand,  and  a  sheaf  of  wrheat  in  the 
left ;  upon  the  other  appeared  Eternity,  with  the  globe  and 
the  phoenix.  At  foot  were  found  these  words — Deus  nobis  hcec 
otia  fecit. 

There  was  nowf  no  longer  any  difference  of  opinion  as  to 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  299 


the  character  of  the  opposition  to  the  British  government. 
The  people  could  now  meet  on  one  common  ground.  The 
spirit  of  freedom  had  at  first  flowed  gently  as  rivulets ;  but, 
gradually  gaining  strength  from  various  sources,  they  swelled 
into  impetuous  rivers,  which  now  overwhelmed  every  thing 
that  the  British  could  employ  to  arrest  them. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

Howe  returns  to  New  York — Lands  on  Staten  Island — Preparations  of  Wash 
ington — Howe's  Proclamations — Congress  publishes  Howe's  Commission — Howe 
writes  to  Washington — His  spirited  Reply — Howe's  Letter  to  Dr.  Franklin — 
British  land  on  Long  Island — Battle  of  Long  Island — Retreat  to  New  York — 
Washington  proposes  the  formation  of  a  regular  Army — Howe  again  attempts  to 
treat  with  the  Republicans — Americana  abandon  New  York — Enemy  land  on 
New  York  Island— Great  Fire  at  New  York — Washington  retreats  to  Harlem — • 
King's  Bridge — White  Plains — North  Castle — Reduction  of  Fort  Washington — 
Retreat  from  Fort  Lee — Washington  retreats  through  New  Jersey — Crosses  the 
Delaware— Cruel  Treatment  of  American  Prisoners. 

"  Now,  from  the  grey  mist  of  the  ocean,  the  white  sailed  ships  of  the 
enemy  appear.  High  is  the  grove  of  their  masts,  as  they  nod,  by  turns,  on 
the  rolling  wave.M 

**  Eternal  spirit  of  the  chainless  mind  ! 

Brightest  in  dungeons,  Liberty,  tliou  art, 

For  there  thy  habitation  is  the  heart — 
The  heart  which  love  of  thee  alone  can  bind  : 
And  when  thy  sons  to  fetters  are  consign'd — 

To  fetters,  and  the  damp  vault's  dayless  gloom, 

Their  country  conquers  with  their  martyrdom. 
And  Freedom's  fame  finds  wing  on  every  wind." 

BEFORE  we  proceed,  it  may  be  proper  to  remind  the  reader 
that  the  unsuccessful  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  take  Charleston 
was  a  part  of  that  grand  and  favourite  campaign  of  the 
British  ministers  to  crush  the  colonists  at  one  fell  swoop,  of 
which  we  spoke  in  a  cursory  manner  in  the  last  chapter.  We 
shall  now  attempt  to  describe  another  part  of  the  same  plan. 

The  army  of  General  Howe,  having  now  sufficiently  reco 
vered  from  "  the  stings  and  arrows  of  outrageous  fortune," 
which  they  had  suffered  at  Boston,  departed  from  Halifax  on 
the  llth  of  June,  and  proceeded  to  Sandy  Hook,  to  await 


300  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776% 

reinforcements  from  Europe,  under  his  brother  Admiral 
Howe.  General  Howe  took  possession  of  Staten  Island  on 
the  2d  of  July,  and  quartered  his  troops  about  the  villages. 
Here  his  brother,  after  touching  at  Halifax,  where  he  found 
despatches  urging  him  to  come  to  New  York,  arrived  on  the 
12th  of  July.  About  the  same  time  General  Clinton  arrived 
with  his  troops,  from  the  terrible  defeat  at  fort  Moultrie. 
The  Hessians  and  Waldeckers,  employed  as  mercenaries  by 
the  British  government,  also  arrived,  when  the  army,  now 
preparing  to  take  New  York,  amounted  to  about  35,000  of 
the  very  best  troops  of  Europe. 

Washington,  anticipating  that  the  possession  of  New  York 
would  be  a  favourite  object  of  the  enemy,  had  removed  with 
the  principal  part  of  his  troops  to  that  city  soon  after  the 
British  evacuated  Boston ;  and,  having  now  obtained  un 
doubted  information  that  the  great  armament  already  men 
tioned  was  to  be  directed  against  New  York,  he  threw  up 
strong  entrenchments,  both  there  and  on  Long  Island,  to  op 
pose  the  enemy's  fleet  up  the  North  and  East  rivers.  The 
American  army  amounted  to  27,000  men,  but  many  were 
invalids  and  others  destitute  of  arms. 

The  corps  stationed  at  Long  Island  was  commanded  by 
Major-General  Green,  but,  on  account  of  sickness,  he  was 
succeeded  by  General  Sullivan.  Putnam,  with  a  great  part 
of  the  army,  was  encamped  at  Brooklyn,  on  another  part  of 
the  same  island,  forming  a  kind  of  peninsula,  or  almost  an 
island  within  an  island.  Excuse  the  blunder,  it  conveys  the 
idea,  the  legitimate  object  of  language.  The  neck  of  this 
peninsula  Putnam  defended  with  moats  and  entrenchments. 
His  wings  extended  from  Wallabout  Bay  to  near  Growan's 
Cove.  Look  at  a  large  map,  reader,  if  you  please,  and  enjoy 
the  splendid  plan  of  Washington  to  defend  your  rights.  In 
the  rear  of  Putnam's  corps  you  see  Governor's  Island  and  the 
East  river,  which  gave  him  a  direct  communication  with 
New  York,  where  a  part  of  the  army  was  stationed  under 
Washington  himself.  In  front  of  his  entrenchments  are  the 
heights  of  Guan,  a  chain  of  hills  covered  with  woods,  and 
running  from  west  to  east,  dividing  the  island  into  two  parts. 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  301 


Here  the  corps  of  Sullivan,  already  spoken  of,  was  stationed. 
The  militia  of  the  province,  under  the  American  general  Clin 
ton,  occupied  East  Chester,  West  Chester,  and  Kochelle. 

The  two  rampant  armies  thus  situated,  the  one  ready  for 
the  attack,  the  other  for  the  defence,  Admiral  and  General 
Howe  announced  to  the  colonists  that  they  were  authorized 
to  settle  all  difficulties — to  grant  general  or  particular  par 
dons  to  those  who  would  return  to  their  duty,  and  to  pro 
claim  any  province  or  city  to  be  in  the  king's  peace,  which 
would  remove  the  effect  of  the  law  against  rebellion. 

"  Rebellion  !  foul,  dishonour'd  word, 

Whose  wrongful  blight  so  oft  has  stain'd 
The  holiest  cause  that  tongue  or  sword 

Of  mortal  ever  lost  or  gahVd. 
How  many  a  spirit,  bom  to  bless, 

Has  sunk  beneath  that  withering  name, 
Whom  but  a  day\«,  an  hour's  success, 

Had  wafted  to  eternal  fame ! 
As  exhalations,  when  they  burst 
Prom  the  warm  earth,  if  chill'd  at  first, 
If  check'd  in  soaring  from  the  plain, 
Darken  to  fogs  and  sink  again ; 
But,  if  they  once  triumphant  spread 
Their  wings  above  the  mountain-head, 
Become  enthroned  in  upper  air, 
And  turn  to  sunbright  glories  there  !" 

In  addition  to  the  promise  of  pardon,  the  commissioners 
offered  a  bribe  (for  such  it  really  was)  to  those  who  should 
assist  in  re-establishing  the  royal  authority.  These  writings 
were  circulated  through  the  country ;  and  Washington  sent 
to  Congress,  by  express,  a  proclamation  they  addressed  to 
Amboy. 

Congress,  satisfied  that  the  commission  of  the  Howes,  sanc 
tioned  by  Parliament,  extended  little  farther  than  "  to  grant, 
pardons  to  such  as  deserve  mercy,"  they  resolved  to  publish 
it  in  the  papers,  that  the  people  might  not  be  disarmed  by  the 
wriles  of  the  enemy. 

A  letter,  addressed  to  George  Washington,  Esq.,  was 
brought  from  Admiral  Lord  Howe.  The  general  refused  to 
receive  it,  stating  that  he  would  not  hold  any  communication 


302  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1776. 


with  the  commanders  of  the  king  as  a  private  individual. 
The  commissioners  then  addressed  the  letter  To  George  Wash 
ington,  4*c-  4"c->  ancl  Adjutant-General  Patterson  was  sent 
with  this  despatch.  Patterson,  in  conversation,  gave  Wash 
ington  the  title  of  Excellency.  He  apologized  for  the  manner 
in  which  the  letter  was  directed,  assuring  him  of  the  high 
regard  the  commissioners  entertained  of  his  personal  charac 
ter,  and  that  the  et  ceteras  were  in  use  between  ambassadors 
disagreeing  on  points  of  etiquette.  Washington  told  him  that 
a  letter  written  to  a  person  invested  with  a  public  character, 
should  specify  it,  otherwise  it  could  not  be  distinguished  from 
a  private  letter ;  that  it  was  true  the  et  ceteras  implied  every 
thing;  but  it  was  no  less  true  that  they  implied  anything; 
and  that,  as  to  himself,  he  would  never  consent  to  receive  any 
letter,  relating  to  public  affairs,  that  should  be  directed  to 
him,  without  a  designation  of  his  rank  and  office.  Patterson 
then  began  to  talk  of  the  clemency  and  goodness  of  the  king 
in  choosing  as  negotiator  Lord  and  General  Howe !  Such 
arguments,  addressed  to  such  a  man  as  Washington,  are 
really  funny.  The  goodness  of  tyranny,  preached  to  the  very 
personification  of  wisdom  and  patriotism,  might  have  extorted 
a  broad  grin  from  Heraclitus  himself. 

Washington  told  him  he  was  not  authorized  to  negotiate ; 
but  that  it  did  not  appear  that  the  powers  of  the  commissioners 
consisted  in  any  more  than  in  granting  pardons ;  that  Ame 
rica,  not  having  committed  any  offence,  asked  for  no  forgive- 
ness,  and  was  only  defending  her  unquestionable  rights. 
This  closed  the  conference  and  Patterson  withdrew.  Congress 
highly  approved  of  Washington's  dignified  conduct ,.  and 
decreed,  that  in  future  none  of  their  officers  should  receive 
letters  or  messages,  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  that  were  not 
addressed  to  them  according  to  their  respective  rank. 

Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin,  who  had  returned  from  England, 
was  now  a  leading  member  of  Congress.  To  him  Lord  Howe 
addressed  a  letter  soon  after  his  arrival,  informing  him  of  the 
nature  of  his  commission,  to  establish  peace  ;  and  requested 
his  aid  to  accomplish  this  desired  end.  Franklin  answered, 
that,  preparatory  to  any  propositions  of  amity  or  peace,  it 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  303 

would  be  required  that  Great  Britain  should  acknowledge  the 
independence  of  America  ;  defray  the  expenses  of  the  war ;  and 
indemnify  the  colonies  for  burning  their  towns.  This,  he  said, 
he  gave  as  his  own  opinion,  and  that  what  he  had  said  was 
not  authorized  by  those  whom  the  Americans  had  invested 
with  the  power  of  peace  or  war. 

Lord  Howe  and  his  brother,  fully  convinced  that  dunces 
and  cowards  were  not  very  numerous  in  America,  resolved 
upon  immediate  hostilities. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  the  fleet  approached  the  west  coast 
of  Long  Island,  and  the  troops  debarked,  under  cover  of  the 
ships,  between  the  villages  of  Gravesend  and  Utrecht,  near 
the  narrows  which  separate  this  island  from  Staten  Island. 

Perceiving  that  battle  was  approaching,  Washington  issued 
the  following  orders : 

"  The  enemy  having  now  landed  upon  Long  Island,  the  hour 
is  fast  approaching  in  which  the  honour  and  success  of  this 
army  and  the  safety  of  our  bleeding  country  depend.  Re 
member,  officers  and  soldiers,  that  you  are  freemen  fighting 
for  the  blessing  of  liberty ;  that  slavery  will  be  your  portion, 
and  that  of  your  posterity,  if  you  do  not  acquit  yourselves 
like  men.  Remember  how  your  courage  has  been  despised 
and  traduced  by  your  cruel  invaders ;  though  they  have  found 
by  dear  experience  at  Boston,  Charlestown,  and  other  places, 
what  a  few  brave  men  can  do  in  their  own  land,  and  in  the 
best  of  causes,  against  hirelings  and  mercenaries.  Be  cool, 
be  determined.  Do  not  fire  at  a  distance,  but  wait  for  orders 
from  your  officers." 

Upon  the  landing  of  the  British  under  Lieutenant-General 
Clinton  near  Utrecht  and  Gravesend,  a  regiment  of  Pennsyl- 
vanians,  under  Colonel  Hand,  retired  from  the  coast  to  the 
woody  heights,  to  assist  in  guarding  a  pass,  leading  through 
Flatbush  to  the  American  camp  at  Brooklyn.  Lord  Corn- 
wallis  was  detached  to  seize  this  pass  if  not  occupied,  but  not 
to  risk  an  engagement  if  guarded  by  the  Americans.  The 
place  being  guarded,  Cornwallis  took  post  in  the  village.  The 
British  army  now  extended  from  the  landing  at  the  Narrows, 
through  Utrecht  and  Gravesend  to  the  village  of  Flatland, 


304  THE    ARMY   AND   NAVY.  [1776. 

another  point  far  to  their  right,  where  the  heights  are  practi 
cable  by  a  circuitous  route  to  Brooklyn. 

De  Heister  landed  on  the  25th  of  July,  with  'two  brigades 
of  Hessians,  and  took  post  the  next  day  at  Flatbush,  when,  in 
the  evening,  Lord  Cornwaliis  with  the  British  proceeded  to 
Flatland.  Major-General  Grant  commanded  the  left  wing, 
I  which  extended  to  the  coast,  near  which  there  is  another 
route  to  Brooklyn. 

Upon  the  top  of  the  heights,  a  road  follows  the  length  of 
the  range,  leading  from  Bedford  to  Jamaica,  and  is  intersected 
by  the  two  roads  already  described.  The  posts  upon  this  road 
were  very  frequent,  and  prompt  intelligence  could  be  trans 
mitted  from  one  to  the  other,  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy 
on  the  three  routes. 

The  centre  of  the  enemy  at  Flatbush,  was  only  about  four 
miles  distant  from  the  lines  at  Brooklyn,  and  their  right  and 
left  wings  about  five  or  six  miles  from  them. 

On  the  26th,  Washington  passed  the  day  at  Brooklyn, 
making  arrangements  for  the  approaching  action,  and  renew 
ing  his  efforts  to  infuse  his  own  spirit  into  the  minds  of  otheia. 
At  night  he  returned  to  New  York. 

The  plan  of  the  enemy  was,  to  seize  the  point  of  intersec 
tion  of  the  road  leading  from  Flatland,  with  that  of  Jamaica; 
and  then,  rapidly  de  cending  into  the  plain,  to  fall  upon  the 
flank  and  rear  of  the  Americans.  Colonel  Miles,  who  was 
stationed  near  Flatbush,  was  also  to  guard  the  road  of  Flat- 
land,  arid  to  scour  it  continually  with  his  scouts,  as  well  as 
that  of  Jamaica. 

On  the  evening  of  the  26th,  about  nine  o'clock,  General 
Clinton,  commanding  the  van-guard,  consisting  of  light  in 
fantry  ;  Lord  Percy  the  grenadiers,  artillery,  and  cavalry  in 
the  centre ;  and  Lord  Cornwaliis  the  rear,  followed  by  some 
regiments  of  infantry,  of  heavy  artillery,  and  the  baggage ; 
withdrew  silently  from  Flatland  across  the  country,  through 
a  part  which  is  called  New  Lotts,  and  about  two  hours  before 
daybreak  arrived  undiscovered  within  half  a  mile  of  the  Ja 
maica  road.  Here  his  patrols  captured,  without  giving  alarm, 
one  of  the  American  parties,  stationed  on  the  road  to  give 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  305 


notice  of  the  enemy's  approach.  Finding  the  pass  unoccu 
pied,  General  Clinton  immediately  took  possession  of  it ;  and 
as  soon  as  day  appeared,  he  bore  to  his  left  towards  Bedford. 
Lord  Percy  coming  up  with  his  corps,  the  entire  column  de 
scended  from  the  heights,  by  the  village  of  Bedford,  into  the 
level  country  between  the  heights  and  Brooklyn  !  This  move 
ment  decided  the  fortunes  of  the  day. 

While  Clinton  was  executing  this  stratagem  on  the  left  of 
the  Americans,  General  Grant  advanced  along  the  coast  to 
divert  their  attention :  and  General  Heister,  with  the  same 
object  in  view,  attacked  the  centre  at  break  of  day.  General 
Grant  had  put  himself  in  motion  about  midnight,  and  had 
attacked  the  militia  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  who 
guarded  the  route  along  the  coast.  At  first  the  Americans 
gave  way,  but  General  Parsons  arriving,  he  took  up  a  posi 
tion  on  an  eminence,  and  renewing  the  combat,  he  maintained 
it  until  Brigadier-General  Lord  Sterling  came  to  his  aid  with 
1500  men.  The  engagement  now  became  very  animated,  but 
not  decisive.  The  attack  made  upon  the  centre  by  the 
Hessians,  was  valiantly  sustained  by  the  Americans,  com 
manded  by  General  Sullivan  in  person.  At  the  same  time 
the  enemy's  ships  opened  a  cannonade  against  a  battery  on 
the  little  island  of  Red  Hook,  on  the  right  flank  of  the  Ame 
ricans  who  opposed  General  Grant.  -\ 

While  the  Americans  were  thus  gallantly  defending  two 
passes,  they  were  still  unacquainted  with  the  real  design  of 
the  enemy,  and  the  great  danger  that  threatened  their  de 
struction  from  another  quarter.  General  Clinton,  after 
detaching  a  strong  corps  to  intercept  their  retreat,  fell  upon 
the  left  flank  of  the  troops  under  Sullivan,  engaged  with  the 
Hessians. 

Apprized  of  their  danger  by  the  appearance  of  the  Eng 
lish  light  infantry,  they  sounded  the  retreat  and  retired  in 
good  order  towards  the  camp,  not  even  leaving  their  artillery. 
But,  as  they  were  retiring  from  the  woods  by  regiments,  they 
encountered  the  British  troops  which  had  occupied  the 
ground  on  their  rear,  and  who  now  made  a  furious  attack 
upon  them.  They  fled  to  the  woods,  where  *they  again  ei> 

~39~  2** 


306  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1776. 


countered  the  Hessians.  Thus  attacked  in  front  and  rear — 
driven  by  the  British  to  the  Hessians,  and  from  the  Hessians 
to  the  British,  with  great  loss,  some  of  them  at  last  became 
desperate,  and  with  heroic  valour  fought  their  way  through 
the  enemy  and  gained  the  camp,  while  others  escaped  through 
the  woods.  Generals  Sullivan  and  Woodhull  were  taken 
prisoners. 

The  firing  towards  Brooklyn  apprized  Lord  Sterling  of  the 
fact  that  the  enemy  had  gained  their  rear ;  and  aware  that 
his  only  prospect  of  escape  was  a  precipitate  retreat  across 
a  creek  in  his  rear,  near  the  Yellow  Mills,  not  far  from  Gow- 
an's  Cove,  orders  were  given  accordingly ;  and,  to  favour  its 
success,  he  attacked  Cornwallis,  stationed  at  a  house  just 
above  the  place  where  he  intended  to  cross  the  creek.  A 
spirited  attack  was  made,  and  Cornwallis  was  on  the  point 
of  being  dislodged  from  his  post  by  a  small  number  of  Ame 
ricans  ;  but  the  British  forces  increasing  in  front,  and  General 
Grant  advancing  on  the  rear,  these  brave  men  were  all  either 
killed,  or,  with  their  general,  taken  prisoners.  This  engage 
ment,  however,  gave  a  large  part  of  the  detachment  an  op 
portunity  to  escape  to  the  camp  by  crossing  the  creek. 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  killed,  wounded  and  prison 
ers,  in  this  unfortunate  engagement,  is  variously  estimated, 
at  from  one  to  three  thousand ;  and  that  of  the  British  at 
about  four  hundred. 

It  would  be  vain  to  hide  the  truth :  an  egregious  error  was 
obviously  committed  in  not  properly  guarding  the  pass  from 
Flatland  to  the  Jamaica  road,  and  from  this  cross-road  to 
Bedford,  and  depending  too  much  upon  scouts,  liable  to  be 
secured  without  being  able  to  give  the  alarm.  Colonel  Miles 
has  been  censured  by  some  historians,  but  his  station  near 
Flatbush,  with  the  Hessians  in  front,  was  certainly  not  a 
favourable  one  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy  at 
Flatland.  We  do  not  pretend  to  decide  who  was  in  fault, 
but  it  is  certain  that  General  Woodhull,  who  had  been  or 
dered  by  the  Convention  of  New- York  to  take  post  on  the 
high  grounds,  was  still  at  Jamaica  when  the  enemy  took  pos 
session  of  the  road  between  that  place  and  the  American 


1776.J  REVOLUTION.  307 


army.  The  American  officers,  it  is  very  manifest,  were  also 
deceived  by  the  feints  already  described,  and  by  the  proba 
bility  that  the  British  would  direct  their  principal  force 
against  the  pass  along  the  coast,  which  was  the  direct  route 
to  Brooklyn. 

In  the  heat  of  the  action,  General  Washington  passed  over 
to  the  camp  at  Brooklyn,  from  Newr-York,  where  he  saw 
with  the  deepest  anguish  the  destruction  in  which  some  of 
his  best  troops  were  involved,  without  the  possibility  of  ex 
tricating  them.  If  he  had  attempted  it  with  the  troops  at 
Brooklyn,  the  camp  would  probably  have  been  lost,  owing  to 
the  superiority  of  the  enemy ;  and  to  bring  over  the  troops 
from  New  York,  his  forces  would  still  have  been  inferior  to 
those  of  the  enemy,  and  the  fate  of  his  country  would  proba 
bly  have  depended  upon  a  single  battle,  under  very  unfa 
vourable  circumstances. 

The  enemy  encamped  in  front  of  the  American  lines ;  and 
on  the  night  of  the  28th  broke  ground  in  form  within  six 
hundred  paces  of  a  bastion  on  the  left.  The  English  works 
were  pushed  with  great  ardour,  and  their  formidable  artillery 
rendered  the  destruction  of  the  American  works  certain  if 
they  remained.  The  Americans,  greatly  inferior  in  numbers, 
discouraged  by  defeat,  overwhelmed  with  fatigue,  exposed  to 
torrents  of  rain,  which  also  injured  their  arms  and  ammuni 
tion,  could  not  be  expected  to  make  a  very  vigorous  defence. 
Independent  of  the  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  the  enemy 
on  the  island,  if  the  wind  should  become  favourable  they 
might  force  a  passage  up  the  East  river  and  cut  off  the 
retreat. 

A  council  of  war  being  assembled,  it  was  resolved  to  eva 
cuate  Long  Island  and  withdraw  to  New  York. 

The  following  account  of  this  retreat  is  given  by  Good 
rich  :  "  Seldom,  if  ever,  was  a  retreat  conducted  with  more 
ability  and  prudence,  or  under  more  favourable  auspices, 
than  that  of  the  American  troops  from  Long  Island.  The 
necessary  preparations  having  been  made,  on  the  29th  of  Au 
gust,  at  eight  in  the  evening,  the  troops  began  to  move  in  the 
greatest  silence.  But  they  were  not  on  board  their  vessels 


308  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1.776' 

before  eleven.  A  violent  north-east  wind  and  the  ebb  tide, 
which  rendered  the  current  very  rapid,  prevented  the  pass 
age.  The  time  pressed,  however.  Fortunately,  the  wind 
suddenly  veered  to  the  north-west ;  they  immediately  made 
sail,  and  landed  in  New  York.  Providence  appeared  to  have 
watched  over  the  Americans.  About  two  o'clock  in  the 
I  morning,  a  thick  fog,  and  at  this  season  of  the  year  extraor- 
|  dinary,  covered  all  Long  Island,  whereas  the  air  was  per 
fectly  clear  on  the  side  of  New  York.  Notwithstanding  the 
entreaties  of  his  officers.  Washington  remained  the  last  upon 
the  shore.  It  was  not  till  the  next  morning,  when  the  sun 
was  already  high  and  the  fog  dispelled,  that  the  English  per 
ceived  the  Americans  had  abandoned  their  camp,  and  were 
sheltered  from  pursuit." 

"  Whoever  will  attend  to  all  the  details  of  this  retreat," 
says  Botta,  "  will  easily  believe  that  no  military  operation 
was  ever  conducted  by  great  captains  with  more  ability  and 
prudence,  or  under  more  favourable  auspices/' 

Even  the  enemy  speak  of  this  retreat  in  praises.  Hear 
him :  "  At  first  the  wind  and  the  tide  were  both  unfavourable 
to  the  Americans  ;  nor  was  it  thought  possible  that  they  could 
have  effected  their  retreat  on  the  evening  of  the  29th,  until, 
about  eleven  o'clock,  the  wind  shifting,  and  the  sea  becoming 
more  calm,  the  boats  were  enabled  to  pass.  Another  remark 
able  circumstance  was,  that  on  Long  Island  hung  a  thick 
fog,  which  prevented  the  British  troops  from  discovering  the 
operations  of  the  enemy;  while  on  the  side  of  New  York  the 
atmosphere  was  perfectly  clear.  The  retreat  was  effected 
in  thirteen  hours,  though  9000  men  had  to  pass  over  the 
river,  besides  field-artillery,  ammunition,  provisions,  cattle, 
horses,  and  carts. 

"  The  circumstances  of  this  retreat  were  particularly  glo 
rious  to  the  Americans.  They  had  been  driven  to  the  cor 
ner  of  an  island,  where  they  were  hemmed  in  within  the 
narrow  space  of  two  square  miles.  In  their  front  was  an 
encampment  of  near  twenty  thousand  men  ;  in  their  rear,  an 
arm  of  the  sea,  a  mile  wide,  which  they  could  not  cross  but 
by  several  embarkations.  Notwithstanding  these  difficulties, 


,T  1  rytri- 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  309 


they  secured  a  retreat  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  The  pickets 
of  the  English  army  arrived  only  in  time  to  fire  upon  their 
rear-guard,  already  too  far  removed  from  the  shore  to  receive 
any  damage/' 

The  garrison  of  Governors  Island  being  in  danger  of  fall 
ing  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  withdrew,  with  all  their 
artillery  and  munitions,  without  accident,  almost  in  the 
presence  of  the  English  ships,  and  joined  the  army  at  New 
York. 

Alarmed  and  discouraged,  and  believing  that  all  was  lost, 
some  of  the  militia,  who  had  been  armed  for  an  emergency, 
became  more  and  more  intractable,  and  began  to  leave  the 
army  in  hundreds,  some  in  whole  regiments,  and  returned 
home.  This  produced  a  very  injurious  effect  on  the  regular 
troops,  whose  engagement  was  but  for  a  year,  and  some  only 
for  a  few  weeks.  Filled  with  the  thoughts  of  soon  returning 
home,  they  were  unwilling  to  expose  themselves  to  great 
dangers;  and,  had  not  Washington  possessed  extraordinary 
influence,  the  army  would  have  been  dispersed. 

Washington,  seconded  by  the  other  chief  officers,  urged 
upon  Congress  the  indispensable  necessity  of  forming  a 
regular  army,  in  which  the  soldiers  should  be  enlisted  to 
serve  during  the  continuance  of  the  war.  Congress  decreed 
that  it  should  be  formed ;  and  that  it  should  be  composed  of 
eighty-eight  battalions,  to  be  raised  in  all  the  provinces,  ac 
cording  to  their  respective  abilities.  Congress  also  decreed 
that  a  bounty  of  twenty  dollars  should  be  given  to  each  man 
at  the  time  of  engagement,  and  portions  of  unoccupied  lands 
were  also  promised  to  the  officers  and  soldiers.  But  from  the 
difficulty  of  finding  men  to  enlist  during  the  whole  period  of 
the  war,  the  resolution  was  modified  to  allow  them  to  engage 
for  three  years,  or  during  the  continuance  of  the  war. 

General  Howe,  believing  that  the  terror  his  success  had 
inspired  would  induce  the  Americans  to  resume  the  British 
yoke,  sent  General  Sullivan,  whom  he  had  made  prisoner 
on  Long  Island,  to  Congress  with  a  message,  that  although  he 
could  not  consistently  treat  with  that  assembly  in  the  cha 
racter  they  had  assumed,  yet  he  would  gladly  confer  with 


310  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 


some  of  their  members  in  their  private  capacity,  and  would 
meet  them  at  any  place  they  would  appoint.  He  again  spoke 
of  his  ample  powers  to  terminate  the  contest  upon  conditions 
advantageous  to  both  Great  Britain  and  America. 

Apprehensive  that  such  a  proposition,  if  not  attended  to, 
might  mislead  the  people,  Congress  appointed  deputies  to 
hear  them.  The  deputies  consisted  of  Benjamin  Franklin, 
John  Adams,  and  Edward  Rutledge,  all  zealous  advocates  of 
independence. 

On  the  llth  of  September,  they  met  the  commissioners  on 
Staten  Island,  opposite  Amboy.  Admiral  Howe  said  that 
though  he  could  not  treat  with  them  as  a  committee  of  Con 
gress,  yet  he  was  authorized  to  confer  with  any  gentlemen  of 
influence  in  the  colonies,  on  the  means  of  restoring  peace ; 
and  that  he  felt  a  real  gratification,  on  the  present  occasion,  to 
discourse  with  them  upon  this  important  subject. 

The  deputies  replied  that  since  they  were  come  to  hear 
him,  he  was  at  liberty  to  look  upon  them  in  what  light  he 
pleased ;  that  they  could  not,  however,  consider  themselves 
in  any  other  character  than  that  in  which  Congress  had  placed 
them.  Howe  then  proceeded  to  business  :  he  demanded  that 
the  colonies  should  return  to  their  allegiance  and  duty  to 
wards  the  British  crown;  he  assured  them  of  the  earnest 
desire  of  the  king  to  make  his  government  easy  and  accept 
able  to  them  in  every  respect ;  that  those  acts  of  Parliament 
which  were  so  obnoxious  to  them,  would  undergo  a  revisal, 
and  the  instructions  to  governors  would  be  reconsidered ;  that 
if  any  just  causes  of  complaint  were  found  in  the  acts  or  in 
structions,  they  might  be  removed ! 

The  deputies  now  recounted  the  tyrannical  acts  of  Parlia 
ment,  and  the  many  ineffectual  attempts  by  petitions  and 
supplications  to  procure  their  repeal ;  and  that  a  return  to 
the  domination  of  Great  Britain  was  not  now  to  be  expected. 
There  wras  no  doubt,  they  said,  that  the  Americans  were 
inclined  to  peace,  and  willing  to  enter  into  any  treaty  with 
Britain  that  might  be  advantageous  to  both  countries.  If 
there  was  the  same  good  disposition  on  her  part,  it  would  be 
easier  for  the  commissioners,  though  not  empowered  at  pre- 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  311 

sent  to  treat  with  them  as  independent  states,  to  obtain  fresh 
powers  from  their  government  for  that  purpose,  than  it  would 
be  for  the  Congress  to  procure  them  from  the  colonies  to  con 
sent  to  submission.  This  ended  the  conference  ;  and  Howe 
expressed  a  regret  that  there  was  no  longer  any  hope  of  an 
accommodation. 

The  deputies  reported  to  Congress,  and  their  conduct  \vas 
approved. 

The  British  ships  cruised  along  the  coast,  sometimes  threat 
ening  one  place,  and  sometimes  another.  A  part  of  the  fleet 
doubled  Long  Island,  and  appeared  in  the  sound  which  com 
municates  \vith  the  East  river  by  a  narrow  channel  called 
Hell  Gate. 

The  main  body  of  the  British  fleet  was  moved  near  Gov 
ernor's  Island,  ready  to  attack  the  city,  or  enter  either  the 
East  or  the  Hudson  river.  Some  of  the  ships  were  continually 
engaged  with  the  batteries  along  the  shore,  and  on  the  little 
islands  in  the  East  river. 

Washington  had  4500  men  in  New  York ;  6500  at  Harlem, 
a  village  at  the  opening  of  the  sound ;  and  12,000  at  Kings- 
bridge,  at  the  end  of  the  island  of  New  York,  which  he  had 
strongly  fortified,  to  secure  a  communication  with  the  main 
land,  and  prevent  the  enemy  from  taking  it  by  surprise,  and 
cut  off  his  retreat  from  the  island.  But  as  the  enemy  had 
command  of  the  sound,  it  was  feared  that  they  would  land 
under  the  protection  of  their  ships,  in  the  centre  of  the 
island,  near  the  mouth  of  the  sound,  and  intercept  the  retreat 
of  all  the  troops  in  the  city  and  its  environs.  A  council  of 
\var  was  assembled,  to  deliberate  upon  the  immediate  evacua 
tion  of  the  city.  The  majority  decided  against  the  measure, 
but  the  English  having  reinforced  themselves  at  the  entrance 
of  the  sound,  a  second  council  of  war  decided  on  the  neces 
sity  of  abandoning  the  city.  In  a  few  days  the  garrison 
marched  out,  and  formed  a  junction  with  the  soldiers  sta 
tioned  at  Harlem,  leaving  the  city  in  the  power  of  the  enemy. 

With  a  view  to  divert  the  attention  of  the  American  gene 
rals,  some  of  the  enemy's  ships  had  entered  the  Hudson,  while 
General  Clinton,  who  had  entered  the  East  river  through 


312 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1776. 


Hell  Gate,  disembarked  at  Kipp's  Bay,  three  miles  north  of 
New  York,  under  the  protection  of  their  ships.  Washington 
gent  a  reinforcement  to  this  point ;  but  the  militia  fled  on  the 
approach  of  the  enemy,  and  after  the  commander-in-chief  had 
rallied  them  in  person,  they  fled  again. 

The  British,  after  sending  a  strong  detachment  to  take 
possession  of  New  York,  encamped  in  the  centre  of  the  island, 
extending  the  right  wing  to  Horen's  Hook,  on  the  East 
river,  and  the  left  to  Bloomingdale,  on  the  Hudson. 

By  referring  to  a  map,  the  reader  will  observe  the  proxi 
mity  of  the  two  armies.  The  position  of  the  Americans,  on 
the  heights  of  Harlem,  was  only  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the 
British  outposts.  This  led  to  frequent  skirmishes,  which 
Washington  encouraged,  to  revive  the  drooping  courage  of 
the  soldiers.  Some  English  and  Hessians  were  one  day  led 
into  an  ambuscade  by  the  Americans,  and  severely  handled, 
for  which  he  commended  their  valour  in  his  official  letters. 

A  few  days  after  the  British  took  possession  of  New  York, 
a  tremendous  fire  broke  out,  and,  excited  by  the  wind,  spread 
with  fearful  rapidity,  and  destroyed  about  one-fourth  of  the 
city.  Some  supposed  it  to  have  been  the  work  of  the  Ame 
ricans,  while  others  attributed  it  to  chance.  Several  Ameri 
cans,  suspected  as  the  authors  of  the  disaster,  were  seized  by 
the  enraged  enemy,  and  precipitated  into  the  fire. 

•  Strongly  entrenched  on  the  heights  of  Harlem,  Washington 
could  throw  defiance  into  the  very  teeth  of  General  Howe, 
who  did  not  even  attempt  to  dislodge  him,  but  resolved  to 
take  up  a  position  behind  that  of  the  Americans,  at  Kings- 
bridge.  Leaving  Lord  Percy  with  several  brigades  of  Eng 
lish  and  Hessians  in  the  camp  of  Harlem  to  protect  New  York, 
he  embarked  in  flat-bottomed  boa^g,  passed  through  Hell  Gate 
into  the  sound,  and  landed  at  Frog's  Neck.  In  a  few  days, 
after  the  arrival  of  reinforcements  from  Staten  Island,  he 
proceeded  towards  Kingsbridge,  over  a  rough  and  stony  road, 
encountering  many  obstacles  which  the  Americans  had  thrown 
in  his  way  to  impede  his  progress.  In  the  meantime  Wash 
ington  assembled  his  whole  army  at  Kingsbridge,  from  which 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  313 


he  now  sent  out  his  light  infantry  to  scour  the  country  and 
harass  the  enemy  in  his  march. 

The  British  general,  anxious  to  cut  off  the  communication 
of  the  Americans  with  the  eastern  provinces,  if  he  could  not 
shut  them  up  in  New  York  island,  determined  to  secure  the 
posts  of  the  Highlands,  known  by  the  name  of  White  Plains. 
in  the  rear  of  Kingsbridge.  The  sagacity  and  vigilance  of 
Washington  enabled  him  to  penetrate  the  design  of  the  ene 
my,  and  he  withdrew  the  main  army  from  Kingsbridge ;  and 
extending  his  left  wing,  he  took  post  on  White  Plains,  while 
the  right  reached  to  Valentine's  Hill,  near  Kingsbridge.  By 
referring  to  a  map,  it  will  be  seen  that  this  line  extends  along 
the  river  Brunx,  where  the  chief  commander  entrenched  him 
self  with  great  care.  The  river  was  in  front  of  the  Ameri 
cans,  and  the  enemy  marched  up  on  the  opposite  shore. 

Just  before  the  arrival  of  the  British  at  White  Plains, 
Washington  withdrew  his  troops  from  the  position  on  the 
Brunx  and  assembled  them  on  the  heights,  near  the  plains,  in 
front  of  the  British. 

u  In  vain  sage  Washington,  from  hill  to  hill, 
Plays  round  his  foes  with  more  than  Fabian  skill, 
Retreats,  advances,  lures  them  to  his  snare, 
To  balance  numbers  by  the  shifts  of  war.'' 

On  the  28th  of  October,  the  British  army  appeared  before 
the  American  camp.  They  attacked,  and,  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  carried  a  position  which  Macdougall  had  been  or 
dered  to  take  about  a  mile  from  the  American  camp,  to  pro 
tect  its  right  wing.  Night  approaching,  the  British  general 
deferred  operations  till  the  next  day.  Washington  took  ad 
vantage  of  the  delay,  strengthened  his  camp  and  posted  his 
army  in  such  a  manner  that  its  formidable  appearance  in 
duced  Howe  to  wait  for  reinforcements.  The  British  having 
erected  batteries,  threatened  to  turn  the  right  wing  of  the 
Americans  and  gain  the  height  in  the  rear;  Washington 
broke  up  his  camp  and  removed  to  a  country  still  more 
mountainous,  near  North  Castle,  on  the  2d  of  November. 
The  object  of  the  enemy  was  to  strike  a.  decisive  and  fatal 

40  2u 


314  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1776. 


blow,  but  the  wisdom  and  skill  of  our  commander  prevented 
it  and  saved  his  country. 

Howe,  finding  it  exceedingly  unprofitable  to  attempt  to 
catch  an  old  fox  in  the  mountains,  abandoned  the  pursuit  and 
resolved  upon  the  reduction  of  fort  Washington,  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Hudson,  ten  miles  above  New  York ;  and  on  the 
8th  of  November  he  drew  off  his  army  towards  Kingsbridge, 
and  on  the  16th  the  English  and  Hessians  invested  the  fort, 
and,  after  a  severe  contest,  which  lasted  nearly  all  day,  Col. 
Magaw,  who  commanded  the  fort,  finding  his  ammunition 
nearly  exhausted,  was  obliged  to  surrender.  The  garrison, 
consisting  of  2600  men,  became  prisoners  of  war.  The  ene 
my  lost  800  men,  and  the  Americans  had  only  a  few  killed. 

Howe,  having  now  entire  possession  of  New  York  island, 
sent  Cornwallis  with  6000  men  to  invest  fort  Lee,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river ;  but  General  Greene  drew  oft'  the 
garrison,  abandoned  the  fort,  and  retired  to  the  other  side  of 
the  HackensacL 

The  loss  of  these  forts  enabled  the  enemy  to  penetrate  into 
New  Jersey,  and  to  menace  Philadelphia  itself.  Washington, 
having  anticipated  the  fall  of  these  fastnesses,  had  already 
crossed  the  Hudson  and  proceeded  to  join  General  Greene. 
General  Lee,  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  the  post  last 
occupied  by  the  commander-in-chief,  had  orders  to  join  the 
main  army  if  the  enemy  should  appear  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Hudson,  which  they  soon  did  in  great  numbers,  inundat 
ing  the  country,  and  spreading  terror  among  the  people. 
The  American  army  retreated  across  the  Passaic  river  to 
Newark.  The  militia  having  disbanded  and  gone  home, 
Washington  was  almost  abandoned  by  his  army.  Even  the 
regular  troops  filed  oft'  and  deserted  in  large  parties,  until 
the  army  amounted  to  less  than  three  thousand.  Enfeebled 
in  numbers,  discouraged  by  reverses,  exposed  in  an  open 
country  to  the  inclemency  of  the  season,  without  tents  or 
entrenching  tools,  surrounded  by  loyalists,  who  endeavoured 
to  spread  terror  through  the  country,  to  induce  others  to 
change  sides  and  make  peace  with  the  enemy,  and  rapidly 
pursued  by  the  British  hosts,  the  American  army  was  but  a 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  315 

feeble  support,  indeed,  to  the  infant  republic,  which  was 
threatened  with  irretrievable  ruin.  Washington  retreated 
from  Newark  to  Brunswick,  Princeton,  and  Trenton ;  and  on 
the  8th  of  December  crossed  to  the  Pennsylvania  side  of  the 
Delaware,  while  Lord  Cornwallis  was  close  in  his  rear ;  but 
finding  no  means  to  cross  the  river,  he  established  his  head 
quarters  at  Trenton. 

Amid  all  these  accumulated  misfortunes,  the  hero  of  the 
republic,  whose  invincible  soul  could  neither  be  vanquished 
nor  shaken,  trusting  in  Providence  and  the  justice  of  his  cause, 
showed  himself  to  his  soldiers  with  a  cheerful  countenance ; 
and  the  members  of  congress,  resolved  to  stand  or  fall  with 
the  republic,  and  to  aid  their  chief  through  good  or  adverse 
fortune,  calmly  drew  up  various  articles  of  confederation  and 
perpetual  union  between  the  states.  Men  who  can  rise  supe 
rior  to  such  dangers  and  terrors  as  surround  them,  in  an  ap 
parently  hopeless  cause,  appear  rather  the  instruments  in  the 
hands  of  God,  to  accomplish  a  mighty  work,  than  the  mere 
representatives  of  men.  The  condition  of  their  minds,  calm, 
collected  and  dignified,  in  their  present  deplorable  situation, 
presents  the  most  sublime  picture  of  patriotism  the  world 
ever  produced. 

The  treatment  of  the  prisoners  at  New  York  would  have 
disgraced  barbarians.  The  sick  and  the  well  were  all  thrown 
together ;  exposed  to  hunger,  cold,  and  impure  air ;  insulted 
by  the  soldiers  and  loyalists,  hauled  wounded  and  bleeding 
through  the  streets,  without  clothing,  on  carts,  as  a  public 
spectacle,  to  be  hissed  by  the  populace  as  traitors  and  rebels. 
Exposed  to  all  these  outrages,  more  than  1500  of  these  un 
fortunate  men  perished  in  a  few  weeks. 

"But  of  all  tales  that  war's  black  annals  hold, 
The  darkest,  foulest  still  remains  untold  ; 
New  modes  of  torture  wait  the  shameful  strife, 
And  Britain  wantons  in  the  waste  of  life. 

Cold-blooded  Cruelty,  first  fiend  of  hell, 
Ah,  think  no  more  with  savage  hordes  to  dwell ; 
Quit  the  Caribbean  tribes  who  eat  their  slain, 
Fly  that  grim  gang,  the  inquisitors  of  Spain, 


316  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 

Boast  not  thy  deeds  in  Moloch's  shrines  of  old, 

Leave  Barbary's  pirates  to  their  blood-bought  gold, 

Let  Holland  steal  her  victims,  force  them  o'er 

To  toils  and  death  on  Java's  morbid  shore ; 

Some  cloak,  some  colour  all  these  crimes  may  plead ;  ' 

'Tis  avarice,  passion,  blind  religion's  deed  ; 

But  Britons  here,  in  this  fraternal  broil, 

Grave,  cool,  deliberate  in  thy  service  toil. 

Far  from  the  nation's  eye,  whose  nobler  soul 

Their  wars  would  humanize,  their  pride  control, 

They  lose  the  lessons  that  her  laws  impart, 

And  change  the  British  for  the  brutal  heart. 

Fired  by  no  passion,  madden'd  by  no  zeal, 

No  priest,  no  Plutus  bids  them  not  to  feel ; 

Unpaid,  gratuitous,  on  torture  bent, 

Their  sport  is  death,  their  pastime  to  torment ; 

All  other  gods  they  scorn,  but  bow  the  knee, 

And  curb,  well-pleased,  O  Cruelty,  to  thee. 

Come  then,  cursed  goddess,  where  thy  votaries  reign, 
Inhale  their  incense  from  the  land  and  main ; 
Come  to  New  York,  their  conquering  arms  to  greet, 
Brood  o'er  their  camp  and  breathe  along  their  fleet ; 
The  brother  chiefs  of  Howe's  illustrious  name 
Demand  thy  labours  to  complete  their  fame. 
What  shrieks  of  agony  thy  praises  sound  ! 
What  grateless  dungeons  groan  beneath  the  ground ! 
See  the  black  Prison  Ship's  expanding  womb 
Impested  thousands,  quick  and  dead,  entomb. 
Barks  after  barks  the  captured  seamen  bear, 
Transboard  and  lodge  thy  silent  victims  there : 
A  hundred  scows,  from  all  the  neighbouring  shore, 
Spread  the  dull  sail  and  ply  the  constant  oar, 
Waft  wrecks  of  armies  from  the  well-fought  field, 
And  famish'd  garrisons  who  bravely  yield ; 
They  mount  the  hulk,  and,  cramm'd  within  the  cave,    , 
Hail  their  last  house,  their  living,  floating  grave. 

She  comes,  the  fiend !  her  grinning  jaws  expand, 
Her  brazen  eyes  cast  lightning  o'er  the  strand, 
Her  wings  like  thunder-clouds  the  welkin  sweep, 
Brush  the  tall  spires  and  shade  the  shuddering  deep ; 
She  gains  the  deck,  displays  her  wonted  store, 
Her  cords  and  scourges  wet  with  prisoners'  gore ; 
Gripes,  pincers,  thumb-screws  spread  beneath  her  feet, 
Slow  poisonous  drugs  and  loads  of  putrid  meat ; 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  317 

Disease  hangs  drizzling  from  her  slimy  locks, 
And  hot  contagion  issues  from  her  box. 

O'er  the  closed  hatches  ere  she  takes  her  place, 
She  moves  the  massy  planks  a  little  space, 
Opes  a  small  passage  to  the  cries  below, 
That  feast  her  soul  on  messages  of  wo ; 
There  sits  with  gaping  ear  and  changeless  eyfe, 
Drinks  every  groan  and  treasures  every  sigh ; 
Sustains  the  faint,  their  miseries  to  prolong, 
Revives  the  dying  and  unnerves  the  strong. 

But  as  the  infected  mass  resign  their  breath, 
She  keeps  with  joy  the  register  of  death. 
As,  toss'd  through  portholes  from  the  encumber' d  cave, 
Corpse  after  corpse  fall  dashing  in  the  wave ; 
Corpse  after  corpse,  for  days  and  months  and  years, 
The  tide  bears  off,  and  still  its  current  clears ; 
At  last,  o'erioaded  with  the  putrid  gore, 
The  slime-clad  waters  thicken  round  the  shore, 
Green  ocean's  self,  that  oft  his  wave  renews, 
That  drinks  whole  fleets  with  all  their  battling  crews, 
That  laves,  that  purifies  the  earth  and  sky, 
Yet  ne'er  before  resigned  his  natural  dye, 
Here  purples,  blushes  for  the  race  he  bore 
To  rob  and  ravage  this  unconquer'd  shore , 
The  scaly  nations,  as  they  travel  by, 
Catch  the  contagion,  sicken,  gasp  and  die." 

We  will  here  drop  the  curtain,  to  hide  these  tragic  scenes 
of  distress,  observing,  with  Congress,  a  "day  of  solemn  fasting 
and  humiliation  before  God,  and  call  upon  the  states  to  fur 
nish  militia;  rightly  believing  that  divine  aid  can  only  be 
expected  by  those  who  do  their  duty." 


318  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1776. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Pennsylvanians  aroused  to  defend  the  Capital — Capture  of  General  Lee — Great 
Powers  of  Washington — Re-crosses  the  Delaware — Assumes  the  Offensive — Sur 
prises  the  Enemy  at  Trenton — Returns  to  Pennsylvania  Side  with  the  Prisoners, 
&c.— Hessians  paraded  through  Philadelphia— Washington  again  crosses  the  Dela 
ware — Wrenches  New  Jersey  from  the  Enemy  and  astonishes  the  World — Alarm 
of  the  British  Commander. 

"  So  flies  a  herd  of  beeves,  that  hear,  dismay'd, 
The  lions  roaring  through  the  midnight  shade." 

IN  this  unpromising  situation  of  affairs,  Generals  Mifflin  and 
Armstrong,  possessing  great  influence  in  Pennsylvania,  went 
through  the  state  addressing  the  people  and  arousing  them  to 
arms  to  defend  the  capital  and  the  country. 

"Rise,  ye  men  !  if  ye  inherit 

From  a  line  of  noble  sires 
Saxon  blood  and  Saxon  spirit, 

Rise  to  guard  your  household  fires. 
From  each  rocky  hill  and  valley 

Rise  against  the  invading  band  ; 
In  the  name  of  Freedom,  rally 

To  defend  your  native  land. 

"  Foemen's  feet  your  soil  are  pressing, 

Hostile  banners  meet  your  eye ; 
Ask  from  Heaven  a  Father's  blessing, 

Then  for  freedom  dare  to  die. 
What  though  veteran  foes  assail  you, 

Fill'd  with  confidence  and  pride  ; 
Let  not  hope  or  courage  fail  you, 

Freedom's  God  is  on  your  side. 

"  To  the  winds  your  flag  unfolding, 

Rally  round  it  in  your  might, 
Each  his  weapon  firmly  holding, 

Heaven  will  aid  you  in  the  fight 
By  the  mothers  that  have  borne  you, 

By  your  wives  and  children  dear, 
Lest  your  loved  ones  all  should  scorn  you, 

Rise  without  a  thought  of  fear. 


1776.] 


REVOLUTION. 


319 


"Come  as  comes  the  tempest  rushing-, 

Bending  forests  in  its  path, 
As  the  mountain  torrent  gushing, 

As  the  billows  in  their  wrath : 
From  each  rocky  hill  and  valley 

Sweep  away  the  invading  band  ; 
In  the  name  of  Freedom,  rally 

To  defend  your  native  land." 

The  tardy  movements  of  General  Lee  to  join  Washington 
according  to  orders,  plainly  indicated  that  he  either  preferred 
the  command  of  a  separate  army,  or  considered  it  advisable 
to  remain  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  New  Jersey  to  be  ready 
to  fall  on  the  right  flank  of  the  British  army.  On  the  6th  of 
December  he  crossed  the  North  River  at  King's  Ferry,  with 
3000  men  and  some  pieces  of  cannon. 

On  the  13th,  being  at  a  place  called  Baskinbridge,  about 
twenty  miles  from  the  quarters  of  the  enemy,  he  incautiously 
separated  himself  from  his  army  to  reconnoitre.  He  took  up 
his  quarters  at  a  house  three  miles  distant  from  the  main 
body,  attended  by  a  slender  guard,  where  he  was  taken 
prisoner. 

"  General  Lee  wasted  the  morning  in  altercation  with  cer 
tain  militia  corps  who  were  of  his  command,  particularly 
the  Connecticut  light  horse,  several  of  whom  appeared  in 
large  full-bottomed  perukes,  and  were  treated  very  irreve 
rently  ;  the  call  of  the  adjutant-general  for  orders,  also  occu 
pied  some  of  his  time,  and  we  did  not  sit  down  to  breakfast 
before  ten  o'clock.  General  Lee  was  engaged  in  answering 
General  Gates's  letter,  and  I  had  risen  from  the  table,  and 
was  looking  out  of  an  end  window,  down  a  lane  about  one 
hundred  yards  in  length,  which  led  to  the  house  from  the 
main  road,  when  I  discovered  a  party  of  British  dragoons 
turn  a  corner  of  the  avenue  at  a  full  charge.  Startled  at  this 
unexpected  spectacle,  I  exclaimed,  '  Here,  sir,  are  the  British 
cavalry.'  '  Where?'  replied  the  general,  who  had  signed  his 
letter  in  the  instant.  *  Around  the  house ;'  for  they  had 
opened  files  and  encompassed  thebuilding.  General  Lee  ap 
peared  alarmed,  yet  collected,  and  his  second  observation 
marked  his  self-possession:  *  Where  is  the  guard? — damn 


320  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776. 


the  guard,  why  don't  they  fire?'  and  after  a  momentary 
pause,  he  turned  to  me  and  said,  *  Do,  sir,  see  what  has  be 
come  of  the  guard.'  The  women  of  the  house  at  this  moment 
entered  the  room,  and  proposed  to  him  to  conceal  himself  in 
a  bed,  which  he  rejected  with  evident  disgust.  I  caught  up 
my  pistols,  which  lay  on  the  table,  thrust  the  letter  he  had 
been  writing  into  my  pocket,  and  passed  into  a  room  at  the 
opposite  end  of  the  house,  where  I  had  seen  the  guard  in  the 
morning.  Here  I  discovered  their  arms  ;  but  the  men  were 
absent.  I  stepped  out  of  the  door,  and  perceived  the  dragoons 
chasing  them  in  different  directions,  and  receiving  a  very 
uncivil  salutation,  I  returned  into  the  house. 

"  Too  inexperienced  immediately  to  penetrate  the  motives  of 
this  enterprise,  I  considered  the  rencontre  accidental,  and  from 
the  terrific  tales  spread  over  the  country,  of  the  violence  and 
barbarity  of  the  enemy,  I  believed  it  to  be  a  wanton,  murder 
ing  party,  and  determined  not  to  die  without  company.  I 
accordingly  sought  a  position  where  I  could  not  be  approached 
by  more  than  one  person  at  a  time ;  and  with  a  pistol  in  each 
hand  I  awaited  the  expected  search,  resolved  to  shoot  the 
first  and  the  second  person  who  might  appear,  and  then  to 
appeal  to  my  sword.  I  did  not  remain  long  in  this  unpleasant 
situation,  but  was  apprized  of  the  object  of  the  incursion  by 
the  very  audible  declaration,  <  If  the  general  does  not  surrender 
in  five  minutes,  I  will  set  fire  to  the  house  /'  which  after  a  short 
pause  was  repeated  with  a  solemn  oath;  and  within  two 
minutes  I  heard  it  proclaimed,  *  Here  is  the  general,  he  has 
surrendered  /'  A  general  shout  ensued,  the  trumpet  sounded 
the  assembly,  and  the  unfortunate  Lee,  mounted  on  my  horse , 
which  stood  ready  at  the  door,  was  hurried  off  in  triumph, 
bareheaded,  in  his  slippers  and  blanket-coat,  his  collar  open, 
and  his  shirt  very  much  soiled  from  several  days'  use. 

'•  What  a  lesson  of  caution  is  to  be  derived  from  this  event, 
and  how  important  the  admonitions  furnished  by  it !  What 
an  evidence  of  the  caprice  of  fortune,  of  the  fallibility  of 
ambitious  projects,  and  the  inscrutable  ways  of  Heaven  !  The 
capture  of  General  Lee  was  felt  as  a  public  calamity;  it  cast 
a  gloom  over  the  country,  and  excited  general  sorrow.  This 


L776.]  REVOLUTION.  321 


sympathy  was  honourable  to  the  people,  and  due  to  the 
stranger  who  had  embarked  his  fortune  with  theirs,  and  de 
termined  to  share  their  fate,  under  circumstances  of  more  than 
common  peril." —  Wilkinson . 

General  Sullivan,  who  succeeded  General  Lee,  obeyed  the 
orders  of  Washington  promptly.  He  crossed  the  Delaware 
at  Phillipsbourgh,  and  joined  him  about  the  close  of  Decem 
ber.  The  American  army  now  consisted  of  about  7000  men ; 
but  as  the  term  of  the  greater  part  expired  with  the  year,  it 
was  threatened  with  total  dissolution. 

Stationed  in  extensive  cantonments  through  New  Jersey,  a 
distance  of  eighty  miles,  and  separated  from  Philadelphia  by 
the  river  Delaware  only,  the  enemy  waited  for  that  river  to 
be  frozen,  which  would  enable  them  to  cross  with  the  greatest 
facility.  The  situation  of  the  Americans  was  desperate,  and 
the  expedient  adopted  by  General  Washington,  now  invested 
by  Congress  with  dictatorial  powers  for  six  months,  evinced 
his  firm  resolve  to  cut  the  cordon  of  the  British  line  or  die  in 
the  attempt. 

The  night  of  Christmas  was  appointed  to  resume  the  offen 
sive — to  re-cross  the  Delaware  and  surprise  the  corps  of  Hes 
sians  at  Trenton.     He  divided  his  army,  consisting  chiefly  ol 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  militia,  into  three  corps.     Witl 
the  first,  numbering  about  2500,  he  crossed  the  Delaware  in 
company  with  Generals  Sullivan  and  Greene,  at  McConkey's 
Ferry,  about  nine  miles  above  Trenton.     The  second,  com 
manded  by  General  Irwin,  wTas  directed  to  cross  at  Trenton 
Ferry;  and  the  third,  under  General  Cadwallader,  was  to 
cross  at  Bristol,  and  proceed  to  Burlington.  Washington,  after 
great  exertions,  succeeded  in  effecting  his  part  of  the  enter 
prise,  through  the  floating  ice  that  obstructed  the  river,  anc 
landed  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning.     Pushing  rapidly  to 
Trenton  by  two  separate  roads — the  one  along  the  river,  the 
other  the  Pennington  road    (where  he  commanded  in  per 
son) — he  reached  the  town  at  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
before  the  Hessians,  under  Rahl,  had  any  suspicion  of  his 
approach.     Their  advanced  guards  were  immediately  routed 
A  regiment  was  sent  to  their  aid,  but  the  first  line  threw  the 

41 


322  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1776. 

second  into  disorder,  and  all  scampered  off  to  Trenton.  Rahl 
then  drew  out  his  troops  to  meet  the  Americans  in  the  field ; 
but  here  he  was  furiously  attacked  by  the  re-animated  Ame 
ricans  ;  and  being  mortally  wounded  in  the  onset,  his  troops 
fled  from  the  battle-field,  and  left  six  pieces  of  light  artillery. 
Attempting  to  escape  by  the  Princeton  road,  Washington 
quickly  despatched  several  companies  to  intercept  their  re 
treat  ;  and  about  1000  Hessians,  under  Rahl,  Anspach,  and 
Knyphausen,  surrendered  at  discretion,  their  position  not 
enabling  them  to  speak  of  terms. 

If  Generals  Irwin  and  Cadwallader,  detained  by  the  ice 
and  other  obstacles,  had  reached  in  time,  about  500  cavalry 
and  light  infantry,  together  with  a  foraging  party,  who 
escaped  by  the  lower  road  to  Bordentown,  and  indeed  all  the 
royal  troops  near  the  river,  would  have  been  surrounded  and 
taken  prisoners. 

"  I  had  been  despatched  to  General  Washington  for  orders, 
and  rode  up  to  him  at  the  moment  Colonel  RaM,  supported 
by  a  file  of  sergeants,  was  presenting  his  sword.  On  my 
approach,  the  commander-in-chief  took  me  by  the  hand,  and 
observed,  'Major  Wilkinson,  this  is  a  glorious  day  for  our 
country,'  his  countenance  beaming  with  complacency ;  whilst 
the  unfortunate  Rahl,  who  the  day  before  would  not  have 
changed  fortunes  with  him,  now  pale,  bleeding  and  covered 
with  blood,  in  broken  accents  seemed  to  implore  those  atten 
tions  which  the  victor  wras  well  disposed  to  bestow  on  him. 
How  awful  the  contrast !  what  a  sad  memento  of  the  casual 
ties  of  military  life  !  Such  are  thy  blessings,  O  war ! — such 
tHe  glories  and  the  golden  fruits  *  plucked  from  the  cannon's 
mouth.' 

"  In  this  affair  we  lost  no  officer,  and  those  before  men 
tioned  (Captain  William  Washington  and  Lieutenant  James 
Monroe)  with  four  men  only  were  wounded,  two  were  killed, 
and  one  frozen  to  death ;  our  trophies  were  four  stand  of 
colours,  twelve  drums,  six  brass  field-pieces,  a  thousand  stand 
of  arms  and  accoutrements,  and  our  prisoners  twenty-three 
officers  and  almost  a  thousand  non-commissioned  officers  and 
privates ;  Colonel  Rahl  and  six  other  officers,  with  about  forty 


1776.]  REVOLUTION.  323 


men,  were  killed.  The  execution  of  this  enterprise  reflected 
high  honour  on  General  Washington ;  but  his  triumph  was 
abridged  by  the  failure  of  two  simultaneous  attacks,  one 
from  Bristol,  under  General  Cad  wall  ader,  and  the  other  by 
Trenton  ferry,  under  General  Irwin,  which  made  a  part  of 
his  plan.  These  officers  employed  every  exertion  to  cross 
the  river,  but  were  baffled  by  the  ice,  and  in  consequence  the 
fugitives  escaped  from  Trenton,  and  Count  Donop,  with  the 
detachments  below,  was  enabled  to  make  good  his  retreat  to 
Princeton,  otherwise  these  German  cantonments  would  have 
been  swept. 

"  This  was  a  desperate  undertaking,  justified  by  the  deplo 
rable  state  of  our  affairs,  and  worthy  the  chief  who  projected 
it.  I  have  never  doubted  that  he  had  resolved  to  stake  his 
life  on  the  issue.  The  joy  diffused  throughout  the  Union  by 
the  successful  attack  against  Trenton,  re-animated  the  timid 
friends  of  the  revolution,  and  invigorated  the  confidence  of 
the  resolute.  Perils  and  sufferings  still  in  prospect,  were 
considered  the  price  of  independence,  and  every  faithful  citi 
zen  was  willing  to  make  the  sacrifice.  Success  had  triumphed 
over  despondency,  and  the  Ijeedless,  headlong  enthusiasm, 
which  led  the  colonists  to  arms,  had  settled  down  into  a  sober 
sense  of  their  condition,  and  a  deliberate  resolution  to  main 
tain  the  contest  at  every  hazard,  and  under  every  privation. 
The  general  impulse  excited  by  passion  was  now  improved 
by  reason,  and  the  American  community  began  to  feel  and 
act  like  a  nation  determined  to  be  free." 

Believing  his  troops  to  be  inadequate  to  cope  with  the 
enemy  quartered  through  New  Jersey,  the  commander-in- 
chief,  on  the  evening  after  the  battle,  abandoned  Trenton  and 
crossed  over  to  the  right  side  of  the  river  with  his  prisoners, 
artillery  and  other  trophies  of  victory. 

The  desponding  and  the  loyalists  discrediting  and  denying 
the  truth  of  this  success,  the  American  generals,  desirous  to 
revive  the  courage  of  the  people,  paraded  these  veteran 
troops,  who  had  proved  themselves  so  formidable  upon  many 
occasions,  through  the  streets  of  Philadelphia  in  triumph,  fol 
lowed  by  their  arms  and  banners.  This,  of  course,  was  not 


324  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1776< 


intended  as  an  insult  to  the  fallen,  but  purely  a  matter  of 
expediency,  of  which  the  Hessians,  hiring  themselves  as  in 
struments  of  oppression,  had  no  reason  to  complain.  The 
Americans  made  the  welkin  ring  with  their  unbounded  ex 
ultation,  to  see  that  it  \vas  not  yet  impossible  to  save  the 
republic.  The  enemy  were  astonished  at  the  sudden  meta 
morphosis  of  a  defeated,  almost  annihilated  army,  into  a  vic 
torious  one,  at  a  period  when  they  thought  the  war  nearly  at 
an  end. 

Washington,  encouraged  by  his  success  and  the  spirit  of 
his  troops,  whose  morale  was  completely  restored,  again 
crossed  the  Delaware,  and  marched  to  Trenton  at  the  head 
of  4000  men. 

Washington,  the  calm  and  prudent  chief,  was  now  a  per 
fect  lion,  giving  full  reins  to  his  natural  impetuosity,  as  the 
only  possible  means  of  success  under  the  present  state  of 
affairs.  If  he  sacrificed  some  of  his  prudence  to  give  energy 
and  impulse  to  his  actions  in  a  last  resort,  he  never  lost  sight 
of  it,  and  the  end,  every  American  believes,  justified  the 
means. 

The  highest  eulogium  on  these  proceedings  that  can  be 
given,  is  the  effect  they  produced  upon  the  minds  of  the  enemy  : 

"  The  British  commander -in-chief  was  now  seriously  alarmed,'1 
says  their  historian.  "  The  British  and  auxiliary  troops,  with 
the  forces  at  Brunswick  under  General  Grant,  advanced  to 
Princeton ;  and  Lord  Cornwallis,  who  was  on  the  point  of 
sailing  for  England,  was  immediately  ordered  to  leave  New 
York,  and  take  the  command  of  the  Jersey  army.  As  soon 
as  his  lordship  joined  General  Grant,  he  marched  to  attack 
the  enemy  at  Trenton.  General  Washington,  on  his  approach, 
retired  from  the  town,  and,  crossing  a  rivulet  at  the  back  of 
it,  posted  himself  on  some  high  grounds,  seemingly  with  a 
determination  of  defending  them.  Both  armies  immediately 
commenced  a  severe  cannonade,  which  continued  till  night. 
Lord  Cornwallis  determined  to  renew  the  attack  next  morn 
ing,  but  General  Washington  resolved  not  to  hazard  a  battle." 

Too  inferior  in  numbers  for  a  general  battle — too  near  a 
formidable  army  to  cross  a  large  river,  now  more  obstructed 


REVOLUTION.  325 


with  ice  than  before,  our  chief  resolved  to  carry  the  war  into 
the  heart  of  New  Jersey. 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  January, 
the  baggage  was  sent  down  to  Burlington,  and  about  two, 
the  enemy  being  perfectly  quiet,  the  Americans,  leaving  their 
fires  burning,  and  guards  at  the  bridges  and  fords,  with  or 
ders  to  continue  the  usual  rounds  of  patrols,  silently  filed  off 
by  detachments,  and  the  neighbouring  fences  were  used  to 
keep  up  a  blazing  fire  to  deceive  the  enemy,  until  near  day, 
when  they  also  retired.  Proceeding  by  a  very  circuitous 
route  through  Allentow7n,  he  hastened  to  surprise  and  take 
Princeton.  The  expedition  with  which  this  grand  manoeuvre 
was  executed  is  almost  incredible ;  for  about  sunrise  his  van 
came  up  with  Mawhood's  detachment,  W7hich  had  just  began 
its  march  from  Princeton  to  Maidenhead,  midway  between 
Princeton  and  Trenton.  This  officer  had  been  left  at  Prince 
ton  by  Cornwallis  to  defend  the  place,  but  had  just  been 
ordered  to  Maidenhead.  He  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the 
approach  of  the  Americans,  and  the  morning  being  foggy,  he 
supposed  them  to  be  Hessians.  Discovering  it  was  part  of 
the  American  army,  and  beginning  to  know  the  character  of 
Washington,  he  conjectured  that  the  vigilant  chief  had  played 
them  one  of  his  nocturnal  tricks.  They  were  immediately 
charged  with  great  spirit,  but  making  a  vigorous  defence,  the 
militia  forming  the  vanguard  gave  way  and  retired.  General 
Mercer  attempted  to  rally  them  and  was  mortally  wounded. 
Washington  advanced  and  restored  the  battle  with  his  con 
querors  of  Trenton.  The  British,  separated  and  overwhelmed, 
fled  in  every  direction  over  fences  and  fields,  without  regard 
to  roads ;  blowing  up  their  breath  in  fine  wreaths  of  smoke 
on  this  cold  morning  and  conjecturing  what  might  become 
of  the  hindmost,  every  one  stretched  his  speed  to  the  utmost 
to  outstrip  his  neighbour,  and  "  live  to  fight  another  day." 
The  pursuit  was  exceedingly  animated,  and  the  commander- 
in-chief,  while  encouraging  the  men,  exclaimed,  "  It  is  a  fine 
fox-chase,  my  boys  /"  Colonel  Hand's  Pennsylvania  riflemen 
were  first  in  the  chase,  and  took  the  greatest  number  of  pri 
soners.  Wilkinson  says,  "  They  were  accompanied  by  Gene- 

_____ 


THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 


ral  Washington  in  person,  with  a  squad  of  the  Philadelphia 
troops,  among  whom  Mr.  John  Donaldson  distinguished  him 
self  in  an  eminent  degree ;  in  the  ardour  of  the  pursuit  he 
had  separated  himself  from  the  troop,  and  as  the  infantry 
could  not  keep  up,  he  found  himself  alone  and  liable  to  be 
shot  by  any  straggler  of  the  enemy  who  would  not  surren 
der  ;  yet,  unwilling  to  slacken  his  pace,  he  mounted  a  lieute 
nant  Simpson  behind  him,  who,  whenever  a  fugitive  threat 
ened  to  be  refractory,  jumped  off  and  shot  him,  and  in  this 
manner  three  men,  whilst  taking  aim  at  Mr.  Donaldson,  were 
knocked  down  and  his  life  saved ;  but  he  made  a  score  of 
prisoners,  whom  he  sent  to  his  rear  after  disarming  them." 
The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  above  100  killed  and  300  prison 
ers  ;  the  American  loss  was  considerably  less,  but  the  fall  of 
General  Mercer  was  universally  lamented ;  he  was  a  Scotch 
man  by  birth,  and  a  physician  by  profession.  "  He  served 
in  the  campaign  of  1755,  with  General  Braddock,  and  was 
wounded  through  the  shoulder  in  the  unfortunate  action  near 
fort  Du  Quesne ;  unable  to  retreat,  he  lay  down  under  cover 
of  a  large  fallen  tree,  and  in  the  pursuit  an  Indian  leaped 
upon  his  covert  immediately  over  him,  and,  after  looking 
about  a  few  seconds  for  the  direction  of  the  fugitives,  he 
sprang  off  without  observing  the  wounded  man  who  lay  at 
his  feet.  So  soon  as  the  Indians  had  killed  the  wounded, 
scalped  the  dead,  rifled  the  baggage,  and  cleared  the  field, 
the  unfortunate  Mercer,  finding  himself  exceedingly  faint  and 
thirsty  from  loss  of  blood,  crawled  to  an  adjacent  brook,  and 
after  drinking  plentifully,  found  himself  so  much  refreshed 
that  he  was  able  to  walk,  and  commenced  his  return  by  the 
road  the  army  had  advanced ;  but  being  without  subsistence, 
and  more  than  a  hundred  miles  from  any  Christian  settle 
ment,  he  expected  to  die  of  famine,  when  he  observed  a 
rattlesnake  on  his  path,  which  he  killed  and  contrived  to  skin, 
and,  throwing  it  over  his  sound  shoulder,  he  subsisted  on  it 
as  the  claims  of  nature  urged,  until  he  reached  fort  Cumber 
land,  on  the  Potomac." 

This  the  critic  will  say  should  be  in  a  note,  but  it  saves 
the  reader  the  trouble  of  looking  down  to  the  bottom  of  the 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  327 

page,  and  then  groping  his  way  back  again  to  the  place  he 
read  before. 

The  long  absence  of  Washington,  who  had  been  led  away 
in  the  pursuit  of  the  fugitives,  began  to  excite  great  alarm  for 
his  safety  among  his  troops,  already  assembled  at  Princeton ; 
but  he  soon  appeared,  to  prepare  for  another  running  fight. 

Cornwallis  awoke  at  Trenton,  shook  off  the  dewr  of  the 
morning,  and  looked  around,  but  Washington  was  non  est 
inyentus !  Immediately  abandoning  his  camp,  Cornwallis 
hastened  to  Princeton,  where  he  arrived  almost  as  soon  as 
Washington  with  the  Grand  Army,  as  it  wras  then  called, 
composed  of  a  handful  of  men,  half-naked,  half-frozen,  half- 
starved,  and  broken  down  with  fatigue  and  two  nights'  loss 
of  sleep.  But  the  army  was  morally  grand,  amounting  to 
sublimity. 

Washington  left  his  enemy  very  abruptly;  crossed  Mill 
stone  river,  broke  down  the  bridges  behind  him,  passed  the 
Raritan  river,  and  soon  reposed  beyond  the  mountains,  making 
his  head-quarters  at  Morristown  in  upper  Jersey,  with  a  fine 
country  in  his  rear  to  supply  him  with  all  necessaries,  and 
through  which  he  could  readily  find  a  passage  over  the  Dela 
ware.  But  he  comes  again:  his  troops  refreshed,  and  rein 
forced  with  a  few  battalions,  he  scours  the  country  to  the 
Raritan,  under  the  very  noses  of  the  enemy  ;  he  even  crosses 
the  river,  and,  penetrating  into  Essex  county,  seizes  Newark, 
Elizabethtown,  and  Woodbridge,  making  himself  master  of 
the  coast  of  Staten  Island,  brushing  the  lion's  beard  and 
staring  him  right  in  the  face  !  Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction, 
and  the  world  never  dreamed  of  anything  more  astonishing. 
The  length  and  breadth  of  the  country  rung  with  the  name 
of  Washington,  and  continental  Europe,  filled  with  admiration 
and  wonder  at  the  splendour  of  the  achievements,  echoed  the 
name  back  again. 

"Achievements  so  astonishing,  acquired  an  immense  glory 
for  the  captain-general  of  the  United  States.  All  nations 
shared  in  the  surprise  of  the  Americans;  all  equally  admired  and 
applauded  the  prudence,  the  constancy,  and  the  noble  intre 
pidity  of  General  Washington.  A  unanimous  voice  pronounced 


328  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

him  the  saviour  of  his  country ;  all  extolled  him  as  equal  to  the 
most  celebrated  commanders  of  antiquity  ;  all  proclaimed  him 
the  Fabius  of  America.  His  name  was  in  the  mouths  of  all ; 
he  was  celebrated  by  the  pens  of  the  most  distinguished 
I  writers.  The  most  illustrious  personages  of  Europe  lavished 
I  upon  him  their  praises  and  their  congratulations.  The 
American  general,  therefore,  wanted  neither  a  cause  full  of 
grandeur  to  defend,  nor  occasion  for  the  acquisition  of  glory, 
nor  genius  to  avail  himself  of  it,  nor  the  renown  due  tothis 
triumphs,  nor  an  entire  generation  of  men  perfectly  well 
disposed  to  render  him  homage ;"  and,  we  might  add — nor 
patriotism  to  do  all  for  his  country. 

By  this  almost  superhuman  effort,  Washington  not  only 
saved  Philadelphia,  but  wrested  nearly  all  New  Jersey  from 
the  tyrant's  grasp.  Selecting  his  positions  well,  and  fortify 
ing  them  strongly,  the  royalists  did  not  think  it  safe  to  attack 
him.  New  Brunswick  and  Amboy  were  the  only  two  posts 
left  to  the  enemy  in  the  state,  and  these  could  have  no  com 
munication  with  New  York  except  by  sea.  Congress,  by  the 
advice  of  the  generals,  had  retired  to  Baltimore,  but  now  they 
immediately  returned,  which  inspired  the  people  with  new 
hope  and  confidence. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Expedition  of  the  Enemy  against  American  Provisions  at  Danbury,  Connecticut 
— Heroic  Conduct  of  Wooster  and  Arnold — Death  of  the  former — Congress  votes 
a  Monument  to  the  one,  a  Horse  to  the  other. 

"Exigui  numero,  sed  bello  vivida  virtus." 

WHY  not  at  once  say,  "  Small  in  number,  but  of  tried  and 
war-proof  valour,"  instead  of  resorting  to  an  ancient,  out 
landish,  dead  language.  The  only  reason  I  can  see  to  quote 
other  languages  is  to  appear  learned  !  Now  I  claim  an  equal 
privilege  with  the  rest,  for  we  are  all  equally  ignorant  of  the 
philosophy  of  those  languages,  for  very  obvious  reasons : — 

******* 
******* 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  329 

The  Americans  were  not  idle  during  the  winter.  They 
formed  immense  magazines  of  provisions,  and  stores  of  every 
description,  against  which  the  enemy  planned  expeditions 
before  the  regular  opening  of  the  campaign  of  the  spring  of 
1777.  One  was  undertaken  against  Danbury,  in  Fairfield 
county,  Connecticut.  The  command  of  the  enterprise  was 
given  to  Governor  Tryon,  General  Agnew  and  Sir  William 
Erskine.  Reaching  Danbury,  without  opposition,  on  the  26th 
of  April,  they  destroyed  1800  barrels  of  beef  and  pork,  800 
of  flour,  2000  barrels  of  grain,  and  1790  tents;  burned  eigh 
teen  houses  and  murdered  three  unoffending  inhabitants. 

Generals  Wooster  and  Arnold,  being  in  the  neighbourhood, 
formed  the  bold  design  of  cutting  oft'  their  retreat.  Wooster 
hung  upon  their  rear,  and  harassed  them  incessantly,  in 
defiance  of  their  field-pieces  to  cover  their  flank  and  rear. 
In  one  of  these  skirmishes,  however,  the  general,  nearly 
seventy  years  of  age,  was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  soon 
after.  His  soldiers,  on  the  loss  of  their  leader,  immediately 
dispersed. 

At  Ridgefield,  Arnold  had  thrown  up  imperfect  entrench 
ments,  when  the  enemy  appeared,  and  a  hot  action  ensued. 
The  Americans  were  obliged  to  retire  to  Norfolk.  The  next 
morning  Tryon,  after  burning  some  houses,  renewed  his  march 
towards  the  Sound.  Arnold,  though  beaten,  was  not  conquered. 
He  returned  to  the  conflict  and  continually  annoyed  the 
enemy  in  their  retreat  to  their  ships,  in  which  they  returned 
to  New  York.  The  result  of  this  expedition  was  beneficial 
to  the  American  cause.  The  enemy  not  only  lost  170  men  in 
killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  but  their  barbarous  conduct  in 
wantonly  destroying  private  property,  exasperated  the  honest 
yeomanry  of  the  country,  and  made  them  more  firm  in  their 
resistance. 

Congress  decreed  that  a  monument  should  be  erected  to  the 
memory  of  General  Wooster ;  and  to  General  Arnold  they 
presented  a  horse  richly  caparisoned,  to  testify  their  admira 
tion  of  his  gallantry. 


42  2c* 


[  330  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Outrages  of  the  Enemy  in  New  Jersey — Effect  on  the  People — Howe's  Attempt 
to  lead  Washington  to  an  Engagement — Capture  of  Prescott — Howe  sails  to  the 
Chesapeake — Lands  on  Elk  River — Washington  hastens  to  defend  Philadelphia — 
Arrival  of  Lafayette — Battle  of  Brandywine — Retreat  of  the  Americana. 

"  Could  I  embody  and  unbosom  now 

That  which  is  most  within  me, — could  I  wreak 
My  thoughts  upon  expression,  and  thus  throw 

Soul,  heart,  mind,  passions,  feelings,  strong  and  weak, 

All  that  I  would  have  sought,  and  all  I  seek, 
Bear,  know,  feel,  and  yet  breathe — into  one  word, 

And  that  one  word  were  lightning,  I  would  speak : 
But  as  it  is,  I  live  and  die  unheard, 
With  a  most  voiceless  thought,  sheathing  it  as  a  sword." 

THE  royal  troops  remaining  in  New  Jersey  during  the 
winter  of  1777,  were  emphatically  confined  to  Brunswick  and 
Amboy ;  for  both  places  were  in  an  actual  state  of  siege. 
The  Hessians,  who  were  about  as  numerous  as  the  British 
themselves  in  America,  were  objects  of  peculiar  hatred,  from 
the  numerous  and  aggravated  outrages  they  committed  upon 
the  inhabitants,  whether  royalists  or  patriots.  No  sooner  did 
they  venture  from  those  villages  to  make  their  barbarous  ex 
cursions,  than  they  were  harassed,  not  only  by  the  soldiers  of 
Washington,  but  frequent  ambuscades  were  prepared  for 
them  by  the  enraged  people,  who  would  cut  them  off  by  sur 
prise  and  exterminate  them.  It  was  on  one  of  these  Hessian 
heads  we  studied  the  anatomy  of  the  skull. 

The  people  of  New  Jersey,  overawed  by  the  success  of  the 
royal  cause  in  the  conquest  of  this  province,  had  nearly  all 
submitted  to  the  enemy.  But  when  the  soldiers  rewarded 
their  loyally  by  dishonouring  wives  in  the  presence  of  their 
husbands,  daughters  in  the  presence  of  their  fathers,  and 
sisters  in  the  presence  of  their  brothers,  they  flew  to  arms, 
with  but  one  thought,  and  that  was  vengeance ;  and  they 
would  not  have  been  men  if  they  had  not  thus  avenged  their 
wrongs. 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  331 

When  the  mild  season  returned,  Howe  at  length  began  to 
manoeuvre,  but  the  direction  he  intended  to  give  to  his  arms 
could  not  yet  be  ascertained.  Whether  he  would  penetrate 
through  New  Jersey  and  attempt  to  take  possession  of  Phila 
delphia,  or  proceed  up  the  Hudson  to  co-operate  with  the 
army  of  Canada,  was  involved  in  impenetrable  mystery. 
Always  ready,  however,  for  every  emergency,  Washington 
took  such  a  position  as  should  enable  him  to  oppose  them 
with  equal  advantage,  whether  he  moved  towards  Philadelphia 
or  in  the  direction  of  Albany. 

After  many  manoeuvres,  intended  to  deceive  the  Ameri 
cans,  on  the  night  of  the  14th  of  June,  the  whole  British  army, 
except  2000  who  were  left  to  protect  Brunswick,  was  put  in 
motion,  in  two  columns,  towards  the  Delaware.  But  Wash 
ington,  instead  of  being  decoyed  from  his  formidable  position 
to  stake  his  country's  prospects  upon  the  hazard  of  a  single 
battle,  and  thus  gratify  the  desire,  and  perhaps  insure  the 
success  of  the  enemy,  resolved  to  remain  within  his  en 
trenchments.  To  this  conclusion  our  hero  was  led  by  the 
following  reflections :  Owing  to  their  superiority  of  numbers 
the  enemy  are  desirous  of  a  general  engagement,  to  destroy 
the  American  army.  They  are  evidently  attempting  to 
draw  me  from  my  advantageous  position  by  circumvention  or 
sleight,  which  is  shown  by  the  fact,  that  Howe  would  not 
have  the  temerity  of  crossing  the  Delaware,  where  he  would 
have  to  combat  an  army  on  the  opposite  side,  under  Arnold, 
and  another  still  more  formidable  in  his  rear.  If  it  had  been 
the  intention  of  the  enemy  to  cross  that  river,  they  wrould 
have  pushed  on  rapidly  to  its  bank,  instead  of  halting,  as 
they  have  done,  midway.  They  would  have  taken  their 
bridge  equipage,  the  baggage,  and  the  batteaux  with  them, 
which  we  know  they  have  left  behind. 

Now  Feader,  if  you  love  to  revel  in  the  luxury  of  thinking, 
see  that  calm,  sagacious,  and  dignified  countenance  of  Wash 
ington,  gradually  brightening  into  a  smile  of  complacency  as 
these  thoughts  are  leading  to  a  just  and  wise  conclusion; 
disappointing  the  sanguine  hopes  of  the  British,  and  inspiring 
the  republicans  with  additional  confidence.  Unless  you  make 


332  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

such  mental  digressions,  you  lose  all  the  poetry  of  history. 
Independent  of  the  other  considerations,  the  conclusion  of 
Washington  was  in  accordance  with  our  XXVIIth  maxim : 
"  never  to  do  what  the  enemy  wishes  you  to  do." 

About  this  time  an  adventure  took  place  which  spread  great 
joy  and  exultation  among  the  Americans.  General  Prescott, 
who  commanded  the  British  troops  in  Rhode  Island,  was  sur 
prised  and  carried  off  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Barton,  to  re 
taliate  the  capture  of  General  Lee.  The  colonel,  at  the  head 
of  a  party  of  forty  militia,  embarked  in  whale-boats,  and 
carefully  avoiding  the  vessels  of  the  enemy,  landed  upon  the 
western  coast  of  Rhode  Island,  repaired  to  the  lodgings  of  the 
general,  and  seized  his  sentinels.  An  aid-de-camp  went  up 
into  the  general's  room,  took  him  out  of  his  bed,  where  he 
slept,  and  hurried  him  off,  without  giving  him  time  to  dress. 
Prescott  had  lately  set  a  price  on  the  head  of  General  Arnold, 
who  immediately  resented  the  insult  by  offering  an  inferior 
price  for  the  person  of  Prescott ;  plainly  indicating  that  his 
head  was  worth  more  than  the  British  general's  whole  body. 
Congress  thanked  Barton,  and  presented  him  with  a  sword. 

After  various  other  manoeuvrings,  and  unsuccessful  attempts 
to  destroy  the  American  army  by  stratagem,  the  British, 
numbering  18,000  men,  embarked  at  Sandy  Hook  on  the  23d 
of  July,  in  260  vessels,  sailed  to  Chesapeake  Bay,  up  that 
bay,  and  landed  not  far  from  the  head  of  Elk  river,  on  the 
25th  of  August.  Howe's  forces  consisted  of  thirty-six  Hes 
sian  and  British  battalions,  including  light  infantry  and  gre 
nadiers,  with  a  powerful  artillery,  a  corps  called  the  Queen's 
Rangers,  and  a  regiment  of  cavalry.  Howe  at  one  time  in 
tended  to  have  gone  up  the  Delaware,  but  receiving  intelli 
gence  that  the  river  was  obstructed  by  the  Americans,  he 
proceeded  against  Philadelphia  by  the  way  of  Chesapeake 
Bay,  as  already  stated. 

About  this  time  the  Marquis  of  Lafayette  arrived  in  this 
country,  and  offered  his  services  to  Congress.  We  shall  speak 
of  him  again  at  tne  end  of  this  chapter. 

As  the  British  squadron  had  been  seen  on  the  7th  of  August 
at  the  entrance  of  the  Delaware,  Washington,  after  a  lapse 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  333 


of  time,  not  hearing  of  the  enemy  having  entered  Chesapeake 
Bay,  began  to  suspect  that  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  would 
be  attacked.  Knowing,  however,  that  he  could  not  reach 
that  place  in  time  to  afford  it  any  assistance,  and  that  if 
there  were  any  prospects  of  success,  the  attempt  would  be 
imprudent,  from  the  uncertainty  of  the  enemy's  destination, 
he  wisely  concluded  to  maintain  his  position,  which  enabled 
him  to  defend  Pennsylvania,  if  the  terrible  storm  was  to 
burst  upon  that  part  of  the  country. 

Intelligence  having  at  last  been  received  of  the  appearance 
of  the  enemy  in  the  Chesapeake,  all  the  doubts  and  uncertain 
ties  of  our  commander  were  dissipated,  and  he  hastened  to 
meet  the  formidable  foe,  face  to  face.  Orders  were  despatched 
to  the  officers  of  his  detached  corps,  to  meet  him  at  Philadel 
phia,  to  proceed  thence  to  the  head  of  the  Chesapeake.  The 
militia  of  the  neighbouring  states  were  ordered  to  join  the 
army,  to  defend  the  capital.  To  show  the  importance  of  this 
call,  and  at  the  same  time  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  assertion 
of  Frederick  the  Great,  that  Washington  was  the  greatest 
general  of  the  age,  we  will  give  the  following  view  of  the 
relative  strength  of  the  foreign  and  American  armies,  from  a 
history  written  by  a  tory,  who,  of  course,  would  naturally 
abstain  from  representing  their  armies  too  large,  and  ours  too 
small : 

BRITISH  AND  AMERICAN  FORCE  IN  1776. 

Dates,  British  Troops.  American  Troops. 

August 24,000  16,000 

November 26,900  4,500 

December 27,700  3,300 

IN  1777. 

March 27,000  4,500 

June 30,000  8,000 

The  American  army  having  marched  through  Philadelphia 
for  the  double  purpose  of  encouraging  their  friends  and  to 
overawe  the  tories,  advanced  to  White  Clay  Creek,  where  it 
encamped.  Leaving  his  riflemen  to  guard  the  camp,  our 
chief  commander  proceeded  with  the  main  army  behind  Red 
Clay  Creek,  extending  it  up  that  creek  from  Newport,  situ- 


334  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 


ated  near  the  Christiana  River,  below  Wilmington,  in  the 
state  of  Delaware. 

On  the  28th  of  August  the  British  army  moved  forward 
to  a  village  at  the  head  of  Elk  river,  and  fixing  its  head-quar 
ters  here,  on  the  3d  of  September  a  part  of  the  army  moved 
on  to  take  post  on  Iron  Hill.  On  the  8th  of  September  the 
commander-in-chief  was  joined  by  Generals  Grant  and  Knyp- 
bausen,  who  had  been  left  upon  the  coast  to  cover  the  de- 
Darkation  of  the  artillery  and  military  stores  ;  when  the  whole 
army  moved  forward  in  two  columns  towards  Philadelphia. 
As  the  enemy  approached,  Washington  saw  that  he  was  in 
danger  of  being  out-flanked  on  his  right,  and  retired  with  his 
troops  behind  Brandywine  river  or  creek,  which  he  knew  the 
enemy  had  to  cross  to  proceed  to  Philadelphia,  and  which, 
though  everywhere  fordable,  he  resolved  to  defend ;  knowing 
that  nothing  but  a  victory  could  save  the  capital. 

With  this  conclusion  and  resolve,  batteries  were  erected 
on  the  banks  of  the  little  river,  and  entrenchments  thrown 
up  at  Chad's  Ford,  where  it  was  supposed  the  enemy  would 
most  probably  attempt  a  passage. 

While  the  Americans  were  thus  occupied  at  Chad's  Ford, 
Howe,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  llth,  proceeded  to  the 
execution  of  his  plan,  which  was  to  attack  that  ford  with  his 
right  column,  commanded  by  General  Knyphausen,  while  his 
left  column,  under  Lord  Cornwall] s,  made  a  circuit  of  several 
I  miles,  and  marched  up  to  the  forks  of  the  Brandywine,  which 
he  crossed  with  a  view  to  gain  the  rear  of  the  Americans. 


*  But  hark  !  that  heavy  sound  breaks  in  once  more, 

As  if  the  clouds  its  echo  would  repeat ; 
And  nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before  !" 

#  »  *  * 

1  And  there  was  mounting  in  hot  haste :  the  steed, 
The  mustering  squadron,  and  the  clattering  car, 

Went  pouring  forward  with  impetuous  speed, 
And  swiftly  forming  in  the  ranks  of  war; 
And  the  deep  thunder  peal  on  peal  afar ; 

And  near,  the  beat  of  the  alarming  drum 

Roused  up  the  soldier.  * 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  335 


Knyphausen,  who  had  advanced  with  his  column,  com 
menced  a  furious  attack  on  the  Americans,  who,  prepared  to 
receive  him,  defended  themselves  with  great  gallantry.  They 
not  only  maintained  their  ground,  but  several  detachments 
crossing  the  river,  fell  upon,  and  harassed  the  enemy's  flank ; 
but,  overcome  by  numbers,  they  were  obliged  to  re-cross  the 
river,  while  the  enemy  kept  up  a  roar  of  artillery  and  mus 
ketry  that  seemed  to  indicate  a  determination  to  force  the 
passage  of  Chad's  Ford. 

In  the  midst  of  this  engagement,  Washington  received  in 
telligence  of  the  movements  of  Cornwallis,  who  was  march 
ing  on  the  road  to  Dilworth  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river. 
The  British  army  thus  divided,  and  representations  having 
been  erroneously  made  to  our  commander-in-chief  that  Howe 
commanded  in  person  his  main  army,  which  was  about  to  at 
tack  his  right  wing,  he  decided  upon  the  bold  and  apparently 
necessary  expedient  of  beating  the  enemy's  right  wing,  while 
they  attacked  his  right — thus  giving  wing  for  wing,  with 
prospects  of  overwhelming  Knyphausen,  who  all  this  time 
was  keeping  up  a  terrible  noise. 

Washington's  plan,  promptly  formed,  was,  to  cross  the 
river  with  his  centre  and  left  wing  and  make  a  desperate 
attack  on  Knyphausen.  General  Sullivan  was  ordered  to 
cross  the  river  with  his  division,  above  the  German  general, 
and  fall  upon  his  left  flank,  while  Washington  in  person  would 
pass  it  lower  down  and  fall  upon  his  right. 

The  troops  had  no  sooner  been  put  in  motion  than  a  second 
report  came,  that  the  British  had  not  crossed  the  branches  of 
the  Brandywine,  and  that  it  was  only  a  feint  of  the  enemy. 
Our  troops  were  immediately  ordered  back,  when  a  third 
report  arrived,  giving  positive  assurance  that  the  enemy  had 
crossed  the  river ! 

General  Wayne  defended  Chad's  Ford ;  Generals  Sullivan, 
Stirling,  and  Stephen  commanded  the  right  wing  of  the  Ame 
rican  army ;  while  Washington,  followed  by  Greene,  posted 
himsejf  in  a  position  where  he  might  aid  either  Wayne  or 
Sullivan,  as  occasion  might  require. 

Sullivan  met  the  enemy  above  Birmingham  meeting-house, 


336  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 


I  (which  is  yet  standing,)  having  previously  planted  his  artil 
lery  on  the  neighbouring  hills. 

As  soon  as  the  Americans  appeared,  the  British  sounded 
the  charge,  advanced  rapidly  up  the  gentle  acclivity,  about 
half  a  mile  in  length,  on  the  top  of  which  the  Americans 
were  situated,  and  commenced  the  fight  with  the  greatest  im 
petuosity,  before  the  right  wing  of  our  army  had  time  to 
form.  With  this  great  disadvantage  on  the  part  of  the  Ame 
ricans,  (who  were  also  much  inferior  in  numbers  and  in 
arms,)  the  armies  rushed  together  in  fierce  and  desperate  con 
flict,  and  the  carnage  became  terrible.  The  republicans 
poured  fire  after  fire  upon  the  enemy ;  their  artillery  hurled 
the  messengers  of  death  amid  thundering  peals  from  the 
neighbouring  hills ;  then  dismal,  roaring,  fierce  and  deep  the 
gloom  of  battle  poured  along;  the  smoke  obscured  every 
object  and  ascended  to  the  skies ;  the  continual  flashes  of  fire 
imparted  to  the  moving  figures,  through  the  dismal  scene,  a 
spectral  appearance ;  the  commanders  rushed  along  like  some 
dreadful  spirits  who  come  in  the  roar  of  a  thousand  storms 
and  scatter  battles  from  their  eyes,  and  all  seems  to  indicate 
that  they  must  be  victorious  if  their  arms  are  like  their  souls. 
Higher  and  higher  rises  the  noise  of  battle;  the  blood  is 
streaming  down  the  hill ;  the  wounded  mingle  their  voices 
with  the  fearful  din  of  arms ;  the  ground  is  strewn  with  the 
dead,  and  the  living  rush  over  their  bodies,  and  over  the 
wounded,  groaning  and  shrieking  in  despair.  A  rider  falls, 
and  the  terrified  steed 

" fast  as  shaft  can  fly, 


Blood-shot  his  eyes,  his  nostrils  spread, 
The  loose  rein  dangling  from  his  head, 
Housing  and  saddle  bloody  red," 

rushes  over  the  standing  and  the  fallen.  Another  rider  falls, 
and  again  his  steed,  wounded  and  furious,  spurns  all  restraint, 
and  flies  over  the  field  of  strife,  through  the  midst  of  the  con 
fused  and  dreadful  scene  of  slaughter.  The  rocking  woods 
echoed  around ;  the  inhabitants,  as  they  fled  along  the  dis 
tant  hills,  turned  a  hasty  and  terrified  look  in  the  direction 
of  the  battle-fieid ;  women  with  dishevelled  hair,  fly  scream- 


1777,]  REVOLUTION.  337 


ing  over  the  fields,  carrying,  dragging,  or  leading  their  chil 
dren  beyond  the  reach  of  danger.  Animals  of  every  descrip 
tion  manifest  their  terror  and  astonishment  at  the  fearful 
tumult.  Dogs  are  howling  piteously ;  the  lowing  herd,  aroused 
from  their  wonted  torpor,  run  helter-skelter  over  the  land ; 
the  draught-horse,  freed  from  restraint,  pricks  up  his  ears, 
dashes  his  mane  proudly  to  the  winds,  and,  with  a  speed  and 
energy  not  usually  his  own,  bounds  away  with  sidelong  looks ; 
then  slacks  his  pace,  looks  wild — snorts  and  neighs,  and,  tak 
ing  fresh  alarm,  tries  again  the  speed  of  his  clumsy  limbs. 

Now  turn  we  to  the  field  once  more.  The  unshaken  courage 
and  desperate  efforts  of  the  republicans  could  not  resist  the 
numerous  assailants.  Their  imperfectly  formed  wing  gave 
way  first,  which  exposing  the  flank  of  the  centre  to  a  galling 
fire,  the  confusion  rapidly  ran  along  the  line,  until  the  rout 
became  general.  A  great  effort  was  made  to  rally  the  fugi 
tives,  but  the  pursuit,  not  allowing  time  to  form,  rendered  it 
impossible.  The  Americans,  unable  to  save  themselves  with 
their  arms,  resolved  to  make  good  use  of  their  legs,  with  a 
firm  resolve  to  fight  another  day,  which  they  did.  and  some  of 
them  the  same  day.  They  fled  through  the  woods  like  the 
newly  fallen  leaves  before  the  rushing  breath  of  the  tempest — 
the  enemy  close  behind  them.  They  were  still  threatened 
with  total  ruin,  when  General  Greene  came  up  with  the 
reserve,  and,  by  a  singularly  skilful  manoeuvre,  opened  his 
ranks  for  the  fugitives,  and  after  they  had  passed  through, 
like  a  father  protecting  his  children,  closed  his  ranks  behind 
them,  checked  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  by  the  fire  of  his 
artillery,  and  completely  covered  the  retreat.  This,  with 
many  other  splendid  achievements,  invests  the  character  of 
Greene  with  an  air  of  romance,  which  will  always  be  felt  by 
the  American  people,  and  elicit  unbounded  praises  from  the 
unborn  Homers  of  our  country. 

General  Greene  continued  his  retreat  until  he  came  to  a 
narrow  pass,  covered  on  both  sides  by  woods,  when  he  drew 
up  his  corpsj  composed  of  Pennsylvanians  and  Virginians, 
and  fought  the  enemy  in  a  brave  and  heroic  manner. 

In  the  meantime,  Knyphausen  crossed  Chad's  Ford,  which, 

43  2o 


338  THE    ARMY    A1ND    NAVY.  [1777. 

for  a  time,  was  resolutely  defended,  bat  the  Americans,  seeing 
the  approach  of  the  enemy  upon  their  right  flank,  fled  in  dis 
order,  as  the  only  possible  means  of  saving  themselves  from 
captivity.  In  this  flight,  they  passed  behind  General  Greene, 
who  was  still  defending  the  pass,  and  who,  by  his  gallant 
conduct,  saved  them  from  being  surrounded  arid  taken  pri 
soners.  Here  Greene  stood  like  a  pillar  of  fire,  and  fought 
until  dark,  when  he  retired,  undismayed,  from  this  Ther 
mopylae  of  America,  and  from  a  field  vvb^re  battle  had  raged 
nearly  all  d?~~  The  volleys  gradually  ceased,  while  the  roar 
of  battle  died  away  in  distant  echoes,  and  nothing  was  now 
heard  but  the  groans  and  prav  to  wounded, 

"The  mortal  strife  was  o1 1  :.">!y  «hone 

The  waning  moon  upon  the  fiel'l  of  Hood  i 
Rank  upon  rank,  in  Mrnasre  mown, 

Lny  the  dead  combat';  lany  a  rood. 

Mixed.  LJ  1  steed,  ••  brotherhood ; 

A  stifling  mist  steer  die  gory  plain. 

Taintinc         I          ess  of  that  E-olit'jrle: 
While  with  g'hzed  eye?,  and  Viden  stare  inline. 
Glared  throv^h  the  frhastly  hn"e  the  fhce<  of  the  plain. 

.e  and  the-,  arnpled  wreck 

.   s  and  banners,  .:.";</  clay. 

The  moonlight  glimmer" -  tar-like  speck 

Of  LHimlsh'd  srcel,  unsullied  in  the  fray  : 

Afir,  the  white  tent-:  of  ;  lay- 

Whence  frequent,  pcrj'c!  the  victor's  r,nccl;ar.t  ciieer. 

Oil  rih]o-lc-l  witli  the  wounded  chnrc'crV  neiirn, 
Or  grci'n  of  dying1  warrior:  \vhile,  more  ]jear, 
A  doo;'s  loiig1,. piercing  howlsmore  on  the  startled  ear. 

It  was  the  wail  of  a.  lone  brute,  tha:  crouc:fd; 

Faithful  in  «k:  ..-ter's  corse  beside; 

Aught,  save  Ambition's  heart,  it  wenln  have  touched. 

To  see  with  what  dcvotedness  he  tried 

To  win  some  si^n  of  love,  where  none  replied  r 
Then,  ail  his  coaxing-  wiles  essay'd  in  vain, 

He  gazed  on  the  pale  features,  as  to  chide. 
Eur,  could  not  their  mysterious  look  sustain. 
And,  turning  from  the  dead,  howl'd  to  the  winds  again.'* 


1777.]  KEVOLITTION.  339 


We  rivill  now  redeem  our  promise  and  speak  again  of  La 
fayette  ;  and  in  doing  so  we  shall  avail  ourselves  of  copious 
extracts  from  an  oration  on  the  life  and  character  of  Gilbert 
Motier  de  Lafayette,  delivered   before  Congress,  in  ISo-i 
John  Quincy  Adams. 

•*As  in  the  iirmameiU  of  iK-av  jn,  that  rolls  over  our  heads, 
there  is,  among  iho  star?  of  the  iirsl  magnitude,  o;ie  so  pre 
eminent  in  splendour,  us,  in  the  opinion  of  astronomers,  <•<• 
constitute  a.  class  by  itself:;  so,  in  the  fourteen  hundred  years 
of  the  French  monarchy,  among  the  multitudes  of  grc^i  -md 
miffhty  ir.c-n  which  it  has  evolved,  the  name  of  Lnhyf'tte 
stands  un rivalled  hi  the;  soliuide  of  glory. 

•'•'At  Mcntz,  ;U  ^n  entertainment,  given  by  a.  relative  of  La 
fayette,  the  Mnroehiii   de   BrogUe.   the  cominandnnt  • 
place,  10  the  Duke  of  Gloucester,  brother  10  the  British  king, 
and  then  a  transient  traveller   through  rhar  part  of  i 
he  learn-:,  as  an  taeident  of  mL;ilipence  received  that  :uoru-- 
inw  by  the  English  prince  iroui  F.ondon,  lii;i£  tho  Congrc.s 
rebel?,  of,  Philadelphia,  had  i— ued  a  Declaim  lion  of  Jiuu-pen-  d 
denee.      A  convorsr.tion  ensues  i;poQ  the  causes  Vvhich  have 
conrribiiu-d  to  nrodatN;  this  j^vr-iir,  and  upon  1110  eom-oqi.ionco.3 
which  niny  he  expected  (-)  lio^v  from  it.     The  imagination  of 
Lafavette  lias  eauiiiH  across  the  Atlantic  iide  the  spark  emit 
ted    from   tho  Declaration   of  Independence ;  his    herul    has 
kindled  at  the  shoe!;,  and,  before  he  slumbers  upon  his  pillow, 
he  has  resolved  to  de\ote  his  life  and  fortune;  to  the  cauif- 

;'  You  have  before  you  the  cause  acid  the  man.  The 
devotedness  of  Lafayette  was  twofold.  First,  to  the  people, 
maintaining  a  bold  and  seemingly  desperate  struggle  against 
oppression,  and  for  national  existence,  Secondly,  and  chiefly, 
to  ihe  principles  of  iheir  Declaration,  which  then  first  un 
furled  before  his  eyes  the  consecrated  standard  of  human 
rights.  To  that  standard,  without  an  instant  of  hesitation, 
he  repaired.  Where  it  would  lead  him,  it  is  scarcely  proba 
ble  that  he  himself  then  foresaw.  It  was  then  identical  with 
the  -tars  and  stripes  of  the  American  Union,  floating  to  the 
breeze  from  the  Hall  of  Independence,  at  Philadelphia.  Nor 
sordid  avarice,  nor  vulgar  ambition  could  point  his  footsteps 


340  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


to  the  pathway  leading  to  that  banner.  To  the  love  of  ease 
or  pleasure  nothing  could  be  more  repulsive.  Something 
may  be  allowed  to  the  beatings  of  the  youthful  breast,  which 
make  ambition  virtue,  and  something  to  the  spirit  of  military 
adventure,  imbibed  from  his  profession,  and  which  he  felt  in 
common  \vith  many  others.  France,  Germany,  Poland,  fur 
nished  to  the  armies  of  this  Union,  in  our  revolutionary 
struggle,  no  inconsiderable  number  of  officers  of  high  rank 
and  distinguished  merit.  The  names  of  Pulaski  and  De  Kalb 
are  numbered  among  the  martyrs  of  our  freedom,  and  their 
ashes  repose  in  our  soil  side  by  side  with  the  canonized  bones 
of  Warren  and  of  Montgomery.  To  the  virtues  of  Lafayette, 
a  more  protracted  career  and  happier  earthly  destinies  were 
reserved.  To  the  moral  principle  of  political  action,  the 
sacrifices  of  no  other  man  were  comparable  to  his.  Youth, 
health,  fortune ;  the  favour  of  his  king ;  the  enjoyment  of 
ease  and  pleasure ;  even  the  choicest  blessings  of  domestic 
felicity ;  he  gave  them  all  for  toil  and  danger  in  a  distant 
land,  and  an  almost  hopeless  cause;  but  it  was  the  cause  of 
justice,  and  of  the  rights  of  human  kind. 

"  The  resolve  is  firmly  fixed,  and  it  now  remains  to  be  car- 
'ried  into  execution.  On  the  7th  of  December,  1776,  Silas 
Deane,  then  a  secret  agent  of  the  American  Congress  at  Pa 
ris,  stipulates  with  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette  that  he  shall 
receive  a  commission,  to  date  from  that  day,  of  major-gene 
ral  in  the  army  of  the  United  States  ;  and  the  marquis  stipu 
lates,  in  return,  to  depart  when  and  how  Mr.  Deane  shall 
judge  proper,  to  serve  the  United  States  with  all  possible 
zeal,  without  pay  or  emolument,  reserving  to  himself  only 
the  liberty  of  returning  to  Europe  if  his  family  or  his  king 
should  recall  him. 

" Neither  his  family  nor  his  king  were  willing  that  he  should 
depart ;  nor  had  Mr.  Deane  the  power,  either  to  conclude 
this  contract,  or  to  furnish  the  means  of  his  conveyance  to 
America.  Difficulties  rise  up  before  him  only  to  be  dispersed, 
and  obstacles  thicken,  only  to  be  surmounted.  The  day 
after  the  signature  of  the  contract,  Mr.  Deane's  agency  was 
superseded  by  the  arrival  of  Doctor  Benjamin  Franklin  and 


1777.]  REVOLUTION,  341 

Arthur  Lee,  as  his  colleagues  in  commission ;  nor  did  they 
think  themselves  authorized  to  confirm  his  engagements,  La 
fayette  is  not  to  be  discouraged.  The  commissioners  extenu 
ate  nothing  of  the  unpromising  condition  of  their  cause.  Mr. 
Deane  avows  his  inability  to  furnish  him  with  a  passage  to 
the  United  States.  •'  The  more  desperate  the  cause/  says 
Lafayette,  *  the  greater  need  has  it  of  my  service,  and,  if  Mr. 
Deane  has  no  vessel  for  my  passage,  I  shall  purchase  one 
myself,  and  will  traverse  the  ocean  with  a  selected  company 
of  my  own.3 

"  Other  impediments  arise.  His  design  becomes  known  to 
the  British  ambassador  at  the  court  of  Versailles,  who  re 
monstrates  to  the  French  government  against  it.  At. his  in 
stance,  orders  are  issued  for  the  detention  of  the  vessel  pur 
chased  by  the  marquis,  and  fitted  out  at  Bordeaux,  and  for 
the  arrest  of  his  person.  To  elude  the  first  of  these  orders, 
the  vessel  is  removed  from  Bordeaux  to  the  neighbouring  port 
of  Passage,  within  the  dominion  of  Spain.  The  order  for  his 
own  arrest  is  executed;  but,  by  stratagem  and  disguise,  he 
escapes  from  the  custody  of  those  who  have  him  in  charge, 
and,  before  a  second  order  can  reach  him,  he  is  safe  on  the 
ocean  wave,  bound  to  the  land  of  independence  and  of 
freedom. 

•'  It  had  been  necessary  to  clear  out  the  vessel  for  an  island 
of  the  West  Indies;  but,  once  at  sea,  he  avails  himself  of  his 
right  as  owner  of  the  ship,  and  compels  his  captain  to  steer 
for  the  shores  of  emancipated  North  America.  He  lands, 
with  his  companions,  on  the  25th  of  April,  1777,  in  South 
Carolina,  not  far  from  Charleston,  and  finds  a  most  cordial 
reception  and  hospitable  welcome  in  the  house  of  Major 
Huger. 

"  Every  detail  of  this  adventurous  expedition,  full  of  inci 
dents,  combining  with  the  simplicity  of  historical  truth  all 
the  interest  of  romance,  is  so  well  known,  and  so  familiar  to 
the  memory  of  all  who  hear  me,  that  I  pass  them  over  with 
out  further  notice. 

"  From  Charleston  he  proceeded  to  Philadelphia,  where  the 
Conress  of  the  revolution  were  in  session,  and  where  he 


342  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 


offered  his  services  in  the  cause.  Here,  again,  he  was  met 
with  difficulties,  which,  to  men  of  ordinary  minds,  would 
have  been  insurmountable.  Mr.  Deane's  contracts  were  so 
numerous,  and  for  offices  of  rank  so  high,  that  it  was  impos 
sible  they  should  be  ratified  by  the  Congress,  He  had  stipu 
lated  for  the  appointment  of  other  major-generals;  and,  in 
the  same  contract  with  that  of  Lafayette,  for  eleven  other 
officers,  from  the  rank  of  colonel  to  that  of  lieutenant,  To 
introduces  these  officers,  strangers,  scarcely  one  of  whom 
could  speak  the  language  of  the  country,  into  the  American 
army,  to  take  rank  and  precedence  over-  the  native  citizens, 
whose  ardent  patriotism  had  pointed  them  to  the  standard  of 
their  country,  could  not,  without  great  injustice,  nor  without 
exciting  the  most  fatal  dissensions  :n  done:  and  this 

answer  was  necessarily  given,  as  well  to  Lafayette,  as  to  the 
other  officers  who  had  accompanied  him  from  Europe,  His 
reply  was,  tin  oiler  to  serve  as  a  volunteer,  and  without  pay. 
Magnanimity,  thus  disinterested,  <  \  be  resisted,  nor 

could  the  sense  of  it  be  worthily  manifested  by  a  mere  ac- 
I  ceptance  of  the  oiler.     On  the  31  si  of  July.,  1777.  therefore, 

i  the  following  resolution  and  preamble  are  recorded  upon  the 

|  journals  of  Congress  r 

iiereas,  the  Marquis  dc  Lai,  ut  of  his  great  zeal 

:  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  in  which  the  United  Slntes-r.re  en- 

|  gaged,  has  left  his  family  an<-  tions.  and,  at   hi*  own 

j  expense,  come  over  to  offer  his  services  to  Vlie  United   States. 

I  without  pension,  or  parti;  ce,  and  i?  anxious  to 

I  risk  hi?  life  in  our  cau^e ; 

^  '-  Resolved,  thnt  his  service?  be  iiccepied.  uud  that,  in  con- 

I  siderntion  of  his  ?eal.  iliu?triou«  family,  and  connections,  he 
have-  the  rani  and  coi  f  maiei-aenerp]  in  the  army 

of  the  United  States.' 

'•'  He  had  the  rank  and  commission,  but  no  command  as  a 
major-general.  \\  ith  this,  all  personal  ambition  was  gratified  ; 
and  whatever  services  he  misfht  perform,  he  could  attain  no 
higher  rank  in  the  American  army.  The  discontent?  of  offi 
cers  already  in  the  service,  at  being  superseded  in  command 
by  a  stripling  foreigner,  were  disarmed  :  nor  was  the  prudence 


j    1777-]  REVOLUTION.  343 

j  of  Congies?;  perhaps,  without   u.-s  influence  in  withholding  a 
|  command,  which,  but  lor  a  jtidgmc-ki.    '  premature   beyond 
|  the  slow  advance  of  years."    might  have  hazarded  something 
i  of  the  sacred  cause  itseif.  by  confidence  too  hastily  bestowed. 
•'-"The  day  alter  the  date  of  hi*  commission,  he  was  introduced 
to  Washington.     It  was  the  critical  period  of  the  campaign 
of  1777.     The  British  army,  commanded  by  Lord  Howe,  was 
.1  advancing  from  the  head  of  Elk,  to  which  they  had  been 
!  transported    "by    sea    from   New    York,    upon    Philadelphia. 
Washington,  bv  a  counteracting  movement,  bad    been    ap- 
proaching  from  his  line  of  defence  in  the  Jerseys,  towards  the 
J  city.iind  arrived  there  on  the  i-i  of  August,     It  was  a  meet- 
1  iiiii1  of  ooneeiiia!  soul-.      AT  -he  close  of  it.  Wa  •limgioii  gave 
I  the  youthful  stranger  an  invitation  10  make  the  head-quarters 
H  of  the  commanciei-in-chiefhis  honiu :  thai  he  should  establish 
jl  himself  there  at  his  e\vn  Ume,  and   consider   himself  at  all 
times  as  one.  of  Ins  family..     1.1   w^s  natural  that,  in  giving 
irsviiatior..  he  should  remark  the  contrast  of  the  situation 
j|  in  winch  it  would  place  him,  vi'ith  liifti  of  ease  anU   comfort, 

luxurious  enjovuiuit.  v\ijicli  I-e  hf.J  leu.  ai 
court  of  Louis  XVI..  a*;d  of  his  beautiful  an 
bu;  Ul4atea  qact-n.  thr-ii  ai;  the  very  summit 
coiisiuui.es  the  cuminon  estnnate  o.i  lehciiv,  To  Laiayeite, 
the  soil  of  freecloiii  wav  Iu>  comiiry.  Ills  po^v,  oi  honouj'  was 
lae  post  of  danger-  His  ihesuie  was  the  field  of  battle,  He 
accepted  with  joy  tt\e  invitation  of  \Va.--:iiin.;nf>n.  and  rej.>aired 
fortiiv*'iih  to  the  camp.  The  bond,  of  indissoluble  friendship 

j ;>ir  friondship  of  heroe: — wns  sealed  froui  the  first  hour  of 

|  Iheir  meeting,  to  iasi  thro\.i;ei;ou;  then-  lives,  and  to  live  in  me 
i  rnemorv  ol  mankind  to:  evei.. 

-•  It  was,  perhaps,  at  the  ^ug^e-tioi]  of  tne  Ametjcan  com- 
i  missioners  in  France,  that  this  im  uation  was  rjiven  by  Wash- 
;  niiiioii.  In  a  letter  iron!  them,  oii  the  ^dd.i  of  May,  1777,  to 
i  the  committee  of  Fon  i;.->-  AfTair?,  they  announce  that  the 
i  marquis  had  departed  for  the  United*  tSlutes  in  a  ship  of  his 
;!  own.  accompanied  by  soDJri  ollleers  of  distinction,  in  order  to 
I  serve  in  our  arime--  They  observe  that  he  i>  exceedingly 
I  beloved,  and  li-at  everv  body's  good  wishe:"-  attend  him.  They 


344  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777.  jj 

. ;j 

cannot  but  hope  that  he  will  meet  with  such  a  reception  as  |j 
will  make  the  country  and  his  expedition  agreeable  to  him.  j 
They  further  say,  that  those  who  censure  it  as  imprudent  in 
him,  do,  nevertheless,  applaud  his  spirit ;  and  they  are  satisfied 
that  civilities  and  respect  shown  to  him  will  be  serviceable  to 
our  cause  in  France,  and  pleasing  not  only  to  his  powerful 
relations,  and  to  the  court,  but  to  the  whole  French  nation. 
They  finally  add,  that  he  had  left  a  beautiful  young  wife,  and 
for  her  sake,  particularly,  they  hoped  that  his  bravery  and 
ardent  desire  to  distinguish  himself  would  be  a  little  restrained 
by  the  general's  [Washington's]  prudence,  so  as  not  to  per 
mit  his  being  hazarded  much,  but  upon  some  important  oc 
casion. 

"  The  battle  of  Brandy  wine  was  the  first  action  in  which 
Lafayette  was  engaged,  and  the  first  lesson  of  his  practical 
military  school,  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years,  was  a  lesson  of 
misfortune.  In  the  attempt  to  rally  the  American  troops  in 
their  retreat,  he  received  a  musket-ball  in  the  leg.  He  was 
scarcely  conscious  of  the  wound  till  made  sensible  of  it  by 
the  loss  of  blood,  and  even  then  ceased  not  his  exertions  in 
the  field  till  he  had  secured  and  covered  the  retreat." 

To  pursue  the  orator  any  further  would  be  getting  in  ad 
vance  of  our  history ;  we  shall,  therefore,  merely  remark  for 
the  present,  that,  upon  the  recommendation  of  Washington, 
Lafayette  soon  obtained  a  command  from  Congress  in  the 
American  army,  and  conclude  this  chapter  by  one  more  ex 
tract  from  the  orator,  and  a  beautiful  tribute  from  the  bard. 

"  But  where,  in  the  rolls  of  history,  in  the  fictions  of  ro 
mance,  where,  but  in  the  life  of  Lafayette,  has  been  seen  the 
noble  stranger,  flying,  with  the  tribute  of  his  name,  his  rank, 
his  affluence,  his  ease,  his  domestic  bliss,  his  treasure,  his 
blood,  to  the  relief  of  a  suffering  and  distant  land,  in  the  hour 
of  her  deepest  calamity — baring  his  bosom  to  her  foes ;  and 
not  at  the  transient  pageantry  of  a  tournament,  but  for  a  suc 
cession  of  five  years  sharing  all  the  vicissitudes  of  her  for 
tunes  ;  always  eager  to  appear  at  the  post  of  danger — tem 
pering  the  glow  of  youthful  ardour  with  the  cold  caution  of 
a  veteran  commander ;  bold  and  daring  in  action  :  prompt  in 


lr 


1777.]  REVOLUTION,  345 

execution:  rapid  in  pursuit;  fertile  in  expedients;  unattain 
able  in  retreat;  often  exposed,  but  never  surprised,  never 
disconcerted;  eluding  his  enemy  when  wit  inn  his  fancied 
grasp;  bearing  upon  him  with  irresistible  sway  when  of 
force  to  cope  with  him  in  the  conflict  of  arms.  And  what  is 
this  but  the  diary  of  Lafayette,  from  the  day  of  his  rallying 
the  scattered  fugitives  of  the  Brandywine,  insensible  of  the 
blood  flowing  from  his  wound,  to  the  storming  of  the  redoubt 
at  Yorktown  !" 

"  Nrone  knew  thee  but  to  love  thee, 
Or  named  thee  but  to  praise," 

"'Twas  his,  in  manhood's  blushing  prime,  to  tread 
Imperial  halls  with  coroneted  head  ; 
To  bask  in  royal  smile?,  or  lead  the  dance 
Amid  the  gayest,  gallantest  of  France ; 
Or,  gladly  loosed  from  grandeur's  courtly  ihral!, 
At  gentle  Hymen's  sweet  enticing  call 
To  seek  his  princely  home,  and  fondly  rest 
His  honour' d  brow  on  wedded  beauty's  breast : 

And  never  more  the  youthful  lord  shall  leave 

His  blooming  Eden  and  his  blushing  Eve, 

But  softly  yield  to  love's  voluptuous  hours 

His  princely  fortune  and  exalted  powers  •; 

Oh  !  sooner  deem  the  spider's  brittle  tie 

Could  hold  the  eagle  from  his  native  sky, 

Than  that  luxurious  indolence  could  bind 

One  little  hour  that  angel-pinion'd  mind  I 

E'en  now  he  springs  from  love's  inglorious  rest 

With  arm'd  right  arm  and  wildly-heaving  breast; 

What  stirring  thoughts  his  youthful  heart  inspire  1 

Why  burns  his  eye  with  unaccustomed  ire1? 

Lo  !  on  his  startled  ear  the  winds  have  blown 

The  clank  of  chains  where  bleeding  millions  groan, 

And  swift  he  breaks  from  nature's  dearest  ties, 

In  Freedom's  cause  life,  all  to  jeopardize; 

While  every  charm  to  home  and  Hymen  wed, 

Is  crush'd  like  flowers  beneath  a  giant's  tread, 

Far  o'er  the  deep,  with  hopes  unspurr'd  by  fame, 
The  warrior-pilgrim  in  his  glory  came, 
Pour'd  his  full  purse  in  Freedom's  empty  hand, 
And  with  her  foremost  sternly  took  his  stand  ; 

44 


346  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


Fought,  bled,  nor  i'alterd  till  the  strife  was  o'er, 
Arid  the  last  foe  v:as  hunted  iron;  her  shore.'"' 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Washington  prepares        i  .ded  by  a  Storm — Mas 

sacre  tit  Paoh — Howe  takes  I  fakes  Hov:c — Congress 

retires  to  Lancaster — Howe/iitempts  '  — Washington  surprises 

Hov,-e  at  Germautown— BatiL  ,  •> — Rci.rea;  cf  Washington  in  one 

Direction  and  the  Enemy  in  anolbnr— Philadeij  nd  of  Rinckc.de. 

'•'  They  f.-Viio-ht  like  two  eor;!;  -jive  to  roll  the  \vuve,"' 

THE  night,  alter  the  battle  of  Brtiridywine,  the  American 
|  army.,  leaving  three  hundred  killed,  six  hundred  wounded, 
t  and  lour  hundred  prisoners.  >  tester,  and  the  fol- 

|  lowing  day  Vo  Philadelphi:  v  of  Darby.     Some  of 

j  the   troops  were  stationed   in  the  environs  of  Germantown, 
arid  others  were  sent  to  the  right  bank  of  the  Schuylkill,  to 
i  watch  the  movement-  r-nemy  and  repress  their  incur- 

\  sions,  wliiie  Washington  conferred  with  Congress. 

On  the  15th  he  returned  to 'camp,  led  all  his  forces  to  the 

•  •  ' 

right  banl';  of  the  Schuylkill  again,  proceeded  along  the  Lan- 
|  caster  road  to  the  Warren  tavern,  with  ihc  intent  ion  of  risk- 
j  ing  another  engagement,  Howe,  receiving  intelligence  of  the 
|  approach  of  the  American*,  advanced  to  Goshen.  when  the 
I  two  armies  being  only  five  m  nn  each  othei%  prepara 

tions  were  made  for  battle.  The  advanced  parties  had  met, 
when  such  a  violent  storm  of  rain  came  up  that  the  soldiers 
were  obliged  to  cease  their  fire,  Washington,  re-crossed  the 
Schuylkill  at  Parker's  Ferry,  and  encamped  on  Perkioming 
Creek. 

General  Wayne  had  concealed  himself  in  the  woods  near 
the  left  wins  of  the  encinv.  with  1500  men,  with  the -design 

•  a 

of  harassing  the  rear  of  their  army.     This  being  discovered 

by  the  spies  of  Howe,  he  sent  a  detachment  in  the  night  to 

surprise  him.     Wayne's  outposts  were  killed:  and  as  orders 

i  lino  been  given  to  use  the  bayonets  only,  the  British  troops 

|  rushed  into  the  American  encampment,  before  the  alarm  was 


1777.1  REVOLUTION.  347 


given,  and  a  dreadful  slaughter  ensued.     Three  hundred  were 

killed  and  wounded,  and  one  hundred  taken  prisoners ;  and 

nothing  but  the  coolness  of  Wayne  saved  the  whole  corps 

from  being  cut  oft".     He  quickly  rallied  a  few  regiments,  who 

I  withstood  the  shock,  while  the  others  retreated.     The  bayo- 

|  neting  was  carried  to  such  a  cruel  and  unnecessary  degree, 

1  that  the  affair  has  been  called  the  Paoli  massacre. 

The  enemy  now  made  such  dispositions  as  led  Washington 
I  to  suppose  they  intended  to  cross  the  Schuylkiil  above  his 
I  encampment,  and  seize  the  extensive  military  store's  at  Read- 
1 1  ing ;  and  ha  retired  up  the  river  to  Pottsgrove,    Howe,  chang- 
uis  course,  crossed  the  river  at  Gordon's,  and  at  Flatland 
Ford.,  ana  encamped  upon  t:hc:  left,  hank      Thus,  situated  be 
tween  liio  American  army  and  Philadelphia,  nothing  could 
ariv-i  UK.  progress  ot  the  enauy  bat  another  battle,  for  which 
die   multitude  called   loudly-  to  rescue  the  city.     The  pru 
dence  of  Washington,  however,  dictated  a  different  course 
than  blindly  to  risk  all  at  an  inauspicious  period,  and  when 
no  reinforcements  had  arrive  a 

On  the  2bih.  Howe  advanced   to  Gerrnantown,  six  miles 

from  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  .succeeding  day.  Lord  Corn- 

waliis,  at  tl)c  head  o!'  a  f-'troiur  detachment,  look  possession 

of  Philadelphia.     Congress  retired  to  Lancaster:  and  placing 

ir  hopes   and   their  unbounded  confidence   in    the  com- 

I !  mander-m-chief,   invested   him  once    more    with  dictatorial 

j   powers., 

Washington  descended  along  the  Schuylkiil  until  he  arrived 
I  within  sixteen  miles  of  Germantown,  and  encamped  at  Sliip- 
||  pack  Creek,  to  wait  until  his  wisdom  or  the  providence  of 
|  i  God  should  open  the  way  for  new  enterprises,  enabling  him 
>  strike  again  for  the  salvation  of  the  infant  republic. 
The  attention  of  General  Howe  was  directed  to  the  reduc- 
of  some  forts  on  the  Delaware,  and  the  removal  of  the 
chevaux-de-frise,  composed  of  immense  beams  of  timber, 
fastened  together,  stuck  with  iron  pikes,  and  sunk  across  the 
river,  just  below  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkiil.  The  object  of 
the  enemy  was,  of  course,  to  open  a  communication  between 
the  fioet  arid  the  armv.  On  the  approach  of  the  enemy  to- 


348 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1777. 


wards  the  lower  barrier,  the  Americans,  unable  to  sustain  an 
assault,  spiked  their  guns,  and  precipitately  retired;  when  | 
the  British,  with  great  labour  and  perseverance,  cut  away  j 
and  hauled  up  enough  of  the  chevaux-de-frise,  to  open  a 
narrow  passage  for  their  ships.     But  we  shall  see  hereafter, 
that  this  was  not  the  only  obstruction  to  the  navigation  of 
the  river  to  Philadelphia. 

The  British  army  at  Germantown,  being  sensibly  weakened 
after  these  detachments  were  despatched,  one  to  take  Phila 
delphia,  and  the  other  to  the  forts  of  the  Delaware,  Wash 
ington,  who  had  reposed  at  Shippack  creek,  like  a  lion  couchant, 
shook  oft'  the  morning  dew,  and  began  to  roar  again.  He 
resolved  to  fall  upon  the  British  encampment  unexpectedly, 
and  beat  them  in  detail. 

The  battle  of  Germantown,  though  well  planned,  and 
commenced  with  every  prospect  of  victory,  soon  became  a 
scene  of  inextricable  confusion,  owing  to  the  dense  fog,  which 
forbade  that  concert  of  action,  so  essential  to  avoid  disorder. 
Each  officer,  unable  to  look  far  beyond  his  nose,  has  given  a 
different  account  of  many  of  the  manosuvres  and  incidents 
which  occurred.  A  battle  in  a  fog  is  a  Gordian  knot  for  the 
historian. 

At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  3d  of  October. 
Washington  quitted  his  encampment,  and  at  the  dawn  of  day 
the  next  morning  commenced  his  attack  on  Howe,  who  is 
said  to  have  exclaimed,  "  My  God  !  what  shall  we  do  ?  We 
are  certainly  surrounded/' 

We  have  now  on  our  table  fifteen  different  descriptions  of 
this  battle,  and,  unwilling  to  enter  into  a  discussion  (which 
would  occupy  too  much  space)  to  reconcile  conflicting  opin 
ions,  we  shall  transcribe  Botta's  account,  which  we  believe 
to  be  the  best,  and  which  sets  forth,  in  a  striking  manner,  the 
consummate  skill  and  military  talents  of  Washington. 

A  high  estimate  of  a  man's  military  character  is  too  often 
formed  from  his  turbulent  spirit;  his  imprudent  daring  or 
headlong  impetuosity  is  often  regarded  as  genuine  courage 
and  military  skill.  Such  a  man  looks  only  to  the  present,  and 
would  risk  all  in  a  single  engagement.  But  a  man  like 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  349 


Washington  looks  far  into  the  future,  risks  nothing  where  the 
loss  might  be  irretrievable,  and  always  calculates  profoundly 
how  far  he  may  risk  without  permanent  injury  to  his  cause, 
in  case  of  check.  When  defeated,  he  repairs  his  losses  with 
so  much  despatch,  that  he  is  soon  able  not  only  to  hold  the 
enemy  at  bay,  but  to  fight  him  again,  or  even  turn  his  own 
defeats  to  his  advantage.  The  character  of  the  one  dazzles 
the  superficial  observer ;  while  the  apparent  tameness  of  the 
other  seems  to  him  like  mediocrity  of  talents  !  The  one  may 
with  propriety  lead  the  head  of  a  column  to  the  attack;  but 
it  requires  the  other  to  conduct  a  campaign.  The  good  ac 
count  to  which  Washington  turned  his  defeats,  we  shall  pre 
sently  see. 

We  love  to  moralize,  but  having  so  many  battles  to  fight 
yet,  they  leave  us  no  room  for  such  reflections ;  besides,  it  is 
generally  best  to  let  every  man  draw  his  own  inferences  from 
facts,  instead  of  the  author  obtruding  his  own  biassed  notions 
upon  the  reader.  To  illustrate  this  position,  we  shall  merely 
remark  that  when  the  British  authors  denounce  the  French 
revolution ;  the  character  of  its  illustrious  leaders,  and  the 
spirit  of  republicanism,  on  the  same  page;  and  attribute  all 
the  dreadful  reverses  of  that  nation  to  a  want  of  obedience  to 
the  divine  authority  of  her  kings,  they  moralize  most  abomi 
nably.  Their  reasoning  and  moralizing  amounts  to  this. 

"  Germantown  is  a  considerable  village,  about  half  a  dozen 
miles  from  Philadelphia,  and  which,  stretching  on  both  sides 
of  the  great  road  to  the  northward,  forms  a  continuous  street 
of  two  miles  in  length.  The  British  line  of  encampment 
crossed  Germantown  at  right  angles  about  the  centre,  the 
left  wing  extending  on  the  west,  from  the  town  to  the  Schuyl- 
kill.  That  wing  was  covered  in  front  by  the  mounted  and 
dismounted  German  chasseurs,  who  were  stationed  a  little 
above  towards  the  American  camp ;  a  battalion  of  light  in 
fantry  and  the  Queen's  American  Rangers,  were  in  the  front 
of  the  right.  The  centre,  being  posted  within  the  town,  was 
guarded  by  the  fortieth  regiment,  and  another  battalion  of 
light  infantry  stationed  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  above 

the  head  of  the  village.     Washington  resolved  to  attack  the 

,  __ 


350  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


British  by  surprise,  not  doubting  that,  il  he  succeeded  in 
breaking  them,  as  they  were  not  only  distant,  but  totally 
separated  from  the  fleet,  his  victory  must  be  decisive. 

"  He  so  disposed  his  troops,  that  the  divisions  of  Sullivan 
and  Wayne,  iianked  by  Con  way's  brigade,  were  to  march 
down  the  main  road,  and,  entering  the  town  by  the  way  of 
Chesnut  Hill,  to  attack  the  English  centre,  and  the  right  flank 
of  their  left  wing;  the  divisions  of  Greene  and  -Stephens, 
flanked  by  Macdougald's  brigade,  were  to  take  a  circuit 
towards  the  east,  by  the  Lime-kiln  road,  and,  entering  the 
town  at  the  market-house,  to  attack  the  left  flank  of  the  right 
wing.  The  intention  of  the  American  general  in  seizing  the 
village  of  Germantown  by  a  double  attack,  was  effectually  to 
separate  the  right  and  left  wings  of  the  royal  army,  which 
must  have  given  him  a  certain  victory.  In  order  that  the 
left  flank  of  the  left  wing  might  not  contract  itself,  and  sup 
port,  the  right  flank  of  the  same  wing,  General  Armstrong, 
with  the  Pennsylvania  troops,  was  ordered  to  march  down 
the  bridge  road  upon  the  banks  of  the  Sr.huyjkill,  and  endea 
vour  to  turn  the  English,  if  they  should  retire  from  that  river. 

"  In  like  manner,  to  prevent  the  right  flank  of  the  right 
wing  from  going  to  the  succour  of  the  left  flank,  which  rested 
upon  Germantown,  the  militia  of  Maryland  and  Jersey,  under 
Generals  Smallwood  and  Forman,  were  to  march  down  the 
Old  York  road,  and  to  fall  upon  the  English  on  that  extremity 
of  their  wing.  The  division  of  Lord  Sterling,  and  tho  bri 
gades  of  Generals  i\ash  and  Maxwell,  formed  the  reserve. 
These  dispositions  being  made,  Washington  quitted  his  camp 
at  Shippack  creek,  and  moved  towards  the  enemy?  on  the  3d 
of  October,  about  seven  in  the  evening.  Parties  of  cavalry 
silently  scoured  all  the  roads,  to  seize  any  individual  who 
might  have  given  notice  to  the  British  general  of  the  danger 
that  threatened  him.  Washington  in  person  accompanied 
the  column  of  Sullivan  and  Wayne.  The  march  was  rapid 
and  silent. 

"  At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  British  patroles  dis 
covered  the  approach  of  the  Americans ;  the  troops  were  soon 
called  to  arms  :  each  took  his  post  with  the  precipitation  of  j 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  351 


surprise.  About  sunrise  the  Americans  came  up.  General 
Conway,  having  driven  in  the  pickets v fell  upon  the  fortieth 
regiment  and  the  battalion  of  light,  Infantry,  Theso  corps, 
after  a  short  resistance,  being  overpowered  by  numbers,  were 
pressed  and  pursued  into  the  village.  Fortune  appeared  al 
ready  to  have  declared  herself  in  favour  of  the  Americans: 
and  certainly,  if  they  had  gained  complete  possession  of  Ger~ 
mantown,  nothing  could  have  frustrated  thorn  of  the  most 
signal  victory,  "But  in  this  conjunct 'm1,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Musgrave  threw  himself,  with  six  companies  of  the  fortieth 
regiment,  into  a  large  and  strong  stone1  house,  siiuuted  nenr 
the  head  of  the  village,  from  which  he  poured  upon  the  as- 
sailants  s;>  terrible  a  fire  of  musketry  that,  they  could  advance 
no  tun  her  The  Americans  attempted  to  storm  this  unex- 
pected  covert  of  the  enemy,  but  those,  wiihia  continued  to 
defend  themselves  with  resolution.  They  ilnaily  brought 
cannon  up  to  the  assault,  but  such  was  tho  mtn  idity  of  the 

English,  and  the  violence  of  their  lire,  that  it  \v;is  found  im-  ii 

<-•>    ~ 

possible  to  dislodge  tiicm.      Uuring  ibis  firoo.  General  Greene  || 
had  approached  liio  right  v/ing,  and  routed,  after  a  sli.srht  en-  j 
gagemeni.  tlio  light  infantry  and  Queen's  "Rancors.     After- | 
wards,  turning  a  little  to  ins  right,  ;uul  towards  Gerrnantov/ri,  j! 
he  fell  -jp<fn  the  left  Hank  of  fho  enemy's  right  wing,  and  en-  jj 
deavoured   to  enter   the   village-      Mcanwhiir,  ho  expected   ' 
that  the    Pennsylvania   iniiiti;?,  under  Armstrong,  upon  the  '. 
right,  and  the  militia  of  ?»Iaryland  and  Jersey,  commanded 
by  Smallwood  and  Fnrman.  on  tiie  left,  would  have  executed 
the   orders    of  the   commander-in-chief,    by  attacking  und 
turning,  the  tirst  the  left,  iiank,  and  the  second  the  right  flank 
of  the  British  army.     But  either  been  use  the  obstacles  they 
encountered  had  retarded  them,  or  that  they  wanted  ardour, 
the  former  arrived  in  sight  of  the  German  chasseurs,  and  did 
not  attack  them :  the  latter  appeared  too  late  upon  the  field 
of  battle, 

'•'  The  consequence  was,  that  General  Grey,  finding  his  left 
flank  secure,  marched,  with  nearly  the  whole  of  the  left  wing, 
to  the  assistance  of  the  centre,  which,  notwithstanding  the 
unexpected  resistance  of  Colonel  Musgrave,  was  excessively 


352  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 

hard  pressed  in  Germantown,  where  the  Americans  gained 
ground  incessantly.  The  battle  was  now  very  warm  at  that 
village,  the  attack  and  the  defence  being  equally  vigorous. 
The  issue  appeared  for  some  time  dubious.  General  Agnew 
was  mortally  wounded,  while  charging  with  great  bravery  at 
the  head  of  the  fourth  brigade.  The  American  Colonel 
Matthews,  of  the  column  of  Greene,  assailed  the  English 
with  so  much  fury,  that  he  drove  them  before  him  into  the 
town.  He  had  taken  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  and  wras 
about  entering  the  village,  when  he  perceived  that  a  thick 
fog  and  the  unevenness  of  the  ground  had  caused  him  to  lose 
sight  of  the  rest  of  his  division.  Being  soon  enveloped  by 
the  extremity  of  the  right  wing,  which  fell  back  upon  him, 
when  it  had  discovered  that  nothing  was  to  be  apprehended 
from  the  tardy  approach  of  the  militia  of  Maryland  and 
Jersey,  he  was  compelled  to  surrender  writh  all  his  party ;  the 
English  had  already  rescued  their  prisoners.  This  check  was 
the  cause  that  two  regiments  of  the  English  right  wing  were 
enabled  to  throw  themselves  into  Germantown,  and  to  attack 
the  Americans  wrho  had  entered  it  in  flank.  Unable  to  sustain 
the  shock,  they  retired  precipitately,  leaving  a  great  number 
of  killed  and  wounded.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Musgrave  was 
then  relieved  from  his  peril.  General  Grey,  being  absolute 
master  of  Germantown,  flew  to  the  succour  of  the  right  wing, 
which  wras  engaged  writh  the  left  of  the  column  of  Greene. 
The  Americans  then  took  to  flight,  abandoning  to  the  English, 
throughout  the  line,  a  victory  of  which,  in  the  commencement 
of  the  action,  they  had  felt  assured. 

"  The  principal  causes  of  the  failure  of  .this  wrell-concerted 
enterprise  wrere,  the  extreme  haziness  of  the  weather ;  which 
was  so  thick  that  the  Americans  could  neither  discover  the 
situation  nor  movements  of  the  British  army,  nor  yet  those  of 
their  owrn ;  in  the  inequality  of  the  ground,  which  incessantly 
broke  the  ranks  of  their  battalions  ;  an  inconvenience  more 
serious  and  difficult  to  be  repaired,  for  new  and  inexperienced 
troops,  as  were  most  of  the  Americans,  than  for  the  English 
veterans  ;  and,  finally,  the  unexpected  resistance  of  Musgrave, 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  353 

who  found  means,  in  a  critical  moment,  to  transform  a  mere 
house  into  an  impregnable  fortress. 

Thus  fortune,  who  at  first  had  appeared  disposed  to  favour 
one  party,  suddenly  declared  on  the  side  of  their  adversaries. 
Lord  Cornwallis,  being  at  Philadelphia,  upon  intelligence  of 
the  attack  upon  the  camp,  flew  to  its  succour  with  a  corps  of 
cavalry  and  the  grenadiers ;  but  when  he  reached  the  field  of 
battle,  the  Americans  had  already  left  it.  They  had  200 
men  killed  in  this  action ;  the  number  of  wounded  amounted 
to  600,  and  about  400  were  made  prisoners.  The  loss  of  the 
British  was  a  little  over  500,  in  killed  and  wounded.  The 
American  army  saved  all  its  artillery,  and  retreated  the  same 
day  about  twenty  miles,  to  Perkioming  Creek. 

The  Congress  expressed  in  decided  terms  their  approbation, 
both  of  the  plan  of  this  enterprise  and  the  courage  with  which 
it  was  executed ;  for  which  their  thanks  were  given  to  the 
general  and  the  army. 

A  few  days  after  the  battle,  the  royal  army  removed  from 
Germantown  to  Philadelphia.  The  want  of  provisions  would 
not  have  permitted  Howe  to  follow  the  enemy  into  his  fast 
nesses,  and  he  was  desirous  of  co-operating  with  the  naval 
force  in  opening  the  navigation  of  the  Delaware.  Washing 
ton,  having  received  a  small  reinforcement  of  1500  militia, 
and  a  state  regiment  from  Virginia,  again  advanced  a  few 
miles  towards  the  English,  and  encamped  once  more  at  Ship- 
pack  Creek  !  Thus,  the  British  general  might  have  seen  that 
he  had  to  grapple  with  an  adversary,  who,  far  from  allowing 
himself  to  be  discouraged  by  adverse  fortune,  seemed,  on  the 
contrary,  to  gain  by  it  more  formidable  energies ;  who,  the 
moment  after  the  defeat,  was  prepared  to  resume  the  offen 
sive  ;  and  whose  firmness  and  activity  were  such,  that  even 
the  victories  obtained  by  his  adversaries  only  yielded  them 
the  effects  of  defeat:1 

Our  Fabius,  posted  on  the  heights  of  the  Schuylkill,  re 
pressed  the  excursions  of  the  enemy,  and  cut  off  their  provi 
sions,  with  his  cavalry  and  light  troops,  which  caused  Ben 
jamin  Franklin  very  shrewdly  to  remark :  "  Philadelphia  has 
taken  Howe.7' 

45  2E*~ 


354  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 


Here  we  shall  leave  Howe  for  the  present,  confident  that  if 
he  ventures  to  come  out  to  do  mischief  to  Pennsylvania,  he 
will  have  Washington  hanging  to  his  coat  tail,  like  a  huge 
mastiff  to  a  midnight  thief. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Thoughts  on  SVrntoga — Campaign  of  Canada— Arnold  joins  Sullivan — Ameri 
cans  retire  to  Crf-vM  Point — British  Armament  on  Lake  Champlam — Americans 
construct  a  naval  Force — Battle  on  Lake  Cham  plain — Americans  abandon  Crown 
Point — Ticonderoga  invested— American  Forces  retreat — Battle  of  Hubbardstown 
— Americans  defeated — Fort  Ann  taken — Action  at  Fort  Sohuyler — Siege  of  the 
Fort  raised— Battle  of  Bennington— Murder  of  Miss  M'Crea— Battle  of  Saratoga- 
Surrender  of  Burgoyne— Individual  Sufferings-— Treaty  with  France. 

"  Now,  yield  thee,  or,  by  Him  who  made 
The  world,  thy  heart's  blood  dyes  my  blade!" 

"  Warrior  in  battle  hour, 
Whence  is  thy  kindling  eye — the  lip  of  pride — 
Thy  stately  tread — when  Death  roams  wide, 

In  his  withering  power? 
A  swift  flush  softened  that  stern,  dark  brow  : 
'  Tisfor  my  own  free  home  I  am  warring  now  /" 

IN  our  piL-  :--»:ige  to  the  battle-fields  of  the  United  States, 
none  produced  a  deeper  impression  on  our  mind  than  that  of 
Saratoga  ;  situated  on  the  Hudson  river,  eighteen  miles  above 
Troy,  and  about  the  same  distance  from  Saratoga  Springs. 
The  extensive  preparations  of  the  enemy ;  their  sanguine 
hopes  ;  their  league  with  the  Indians ;  their  dreadful  reverses, 
connected  with  many  romantic  incidents ;  the  glorious  vic 
tory  of  the  Americans,  and  the  results  it  produced  in  hasten 
ing  our  cause  to  a  favourable  issue ;  all  crowd  upon  the 
mind  and  sink  deep  into  our  souls,  as  we  wander  over  Bemus's 
Heights. 

But  before  we  proceed  in  the  description  of  this  place  of 
terror  and  of  romance,  it  will  be  necessary  to  go  back  to 
Canada  and  begin  this  third  part  of  the  grand  campaign  of 
the  British  ministers,  described  in  the  opening  of  Chapter 
Seventh. 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  355 


The  army  of  Canada  had  been  strongly  reinforced  from 
England  in  the"  spring  of  1776,  and  preparations  were  made 
to  execute  the  plan  of  the  ministry  by  penetrating  by  the  way 
of  the  lakes  to  the  Hudson  river,  descending  that  river,  and 
forming  a  junction  with  the  army  of  New  York  at  Albany. 
It  was  supposed,  that  all  inter  ourse  being  thus  cut  off  be 
tween  the  New  England  and  the  southern  provinces,  the 
colonists  would  be  terrified  into  submission  and  the  war 
brought  to  a  close.  With  the  exception  of  a  distance  of  six 
teen  miles,  between  Lake  George  and  the  left  bank  of  the 
Hudson,  the  whole  passage  could  be  effected  by  water. 

Near  the  conclusion  of  Chapter  Fifth,  we  stated  that  the 
American  army  in  Canada,  being  entirely  too  small  to  execute 
the  object  of  its  expedition,  especially  after  its  reduction  by 
small-pox,  and  the  reinforcements  of  the  enemy,  had  been 
obliged  to  abandon  one  post  after  another,  until  they  had  en 
tirely  evacuated  Canada.  After  many  daring  adventures 
and  skilful  manoeuvres  in  his  retreat,  Arnold  gained  fort  St. 
John,  where  he  effected  a  junction  with  General  Sullivan. 
But  this  general  viewing  the  position  in  an  unfavourable 
light,  dismantled  the  fortifications,  set  fire  to  the  magazines 
and  barracks,  and  withdrew  under  the  cannon  of  Crown 
Point.  The  whole  length  of  Lake  Champlain  was  thus  inter 
posed  between  themselves  and  the  enemy,  and  having  a  num 
ber  of  armed  vessels  on  the  lake,  the  English  could  not  follow 
them  without  first  arming  a  fleet  superior  to  that  of  the  Ame 
ricans,  as  the  vessels  brought  from  England  could  not  safely 
be  brought  into  the  lake,  over  the  falls  of  the  Sorel,  near  fort 
Chamblee.  Accordingly,  General  Carleton,  Governor  of 
Canada,  constructed  and  equipped  a  fleet  of  thirty  vessels  ol 
various  dimensions;,  and  armed  them  with  artillery.  A  num 
ber  of  flat-bottomed  boats  and  400  batteaux  were  also  in 
readiness.  About  the  middle  of  October  the  armament  was 
fully  equipped,  and  the  command  was  given  to  Captain  Prin- 
gle,  a  sea-officer  of  great  experience.  The  ship  of  the  admiral 
called  the  Inflexible,  carried  eighteen  twelve-pounders ;  two 
schooners  mounted,  one  fourteen,  the  other  twelve  six-pound 
ers  ;  a  large  racleau  carried  six  twenty-four  and  six  twelve- 


356  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


pounders.  Twenty  vessels  carried  each  a  piece  of  brass  ord 
nance,  from  nine  to  twenty-four-pounders  or  howitzers.  Long 
boats  were  equipped  in  the  same  manner.  Besides  these, 
there  were  a  number  of  boats  to  serve  as  transports  for  the 
troops,  baggage,  stores,  provisions,  and  arms. 

The  American  army  at  this  time  amounted  to  between  8000 
and  9000  men,  commanded  by  Generals  Schuyler  and  Gates, 
while  Arnold,  full  of  military  ardour,  infused  energy  and 
spirit  into  the  soldiers.  The  army  was  assembled  under  the 
cannon  of  Ticonderoga,  having  left  a  garrison  at  Crown 
Point. 

It  was  necessary  for  the  Americans  to  arm  and  equip  a 
fleet  before  they  could  oppose  the  enemy  by  naval  operations. 
Great  efforts  were  promptly  made  to  accomplish  this  purpose, 
but  owing  to  a  want  of  proper  materials  and  the  difficulty 
of  procuring  carpenters,  who  were  engaged  in  building  pri 
vateers  and  ships  for  Conon-ss.  tju-  Aw!Hran  generals  could 
not  produce  a  squdron  of  more  than  (ilVen  vessels  of  different 
sizes,  two  brigs,  one  corvftu;,  on^  sloop,  three  galleys,  and 
eight  gondolas.  Their  lan-cst  v  ss  I  -•  mounted  only  twelve 
six  and  four-pounders.  T->  r  mmm-H  of  this  armament  was 
given  to  General  Arnold  I  I  appear  could  sustain 

the  same  reputation  upon  'M'^it  as  upon  land. 

General  Carleton  nov.  t  rds  Crown  Point, 

with  the  intention  of  art;:  ^m*  th^re.  He  had 

already  advanced  half'-w;  'M'<  he  discovered 

the  American  squadron,  Hd  the  little 

island  of  Valincour  and  n  the  island 

and  the  western  shoiv  <r  M-  battle  en 

sued,  as  may  be  prcsun-  "hief.  The 

wind  being  unfa  vou  rah  vhting  four 

hours,  Captain  Priiiul-;*  «r-  '' he  largest 

brig;  of  the  America  M-*  >  the  ac 

tion,  and  a  irondola  -un  ;idvisabfe 

to  risk  another  en<v;  s  deter 

mined  to  retn'ut  t.M  winds, 

fu  was  over  Un  '  ?iewed 

x>r  two 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  357 


hours  more.  During  this  action  the  greater  number  of  Ar 
nold's  vessels  crowded  sail  and  escaped  to  Ticonderoga,  while 
only  two  galleys  and  five  gondolas  remained  with  him. 
Finding  that  all  his  desperate  efforts  were  unavailing  against 
such  a  force  as  that  of  the  enemy,  he  resorted  to  an  expedi 
ent  that  astonished  the  enemy  and  elicited  the  applause  of  his 
countrymen.  To  prevent  the  vessels  from  falling  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  he  ran  them  ashore  and  set  them  on  fire. 
The  Americans  now  destroyed  all  they  could  at  Crown  Point 
and  retired  to  Ticonderoga,  and  Carleton  was  soon  joined  by 
his  army,  intended  to  operate  by  land.  As  the  season  was 
too  much  advanced  to  afford  any  prospects  to  reach  Albany 
before  the  commencement  of  the  severity  of  winter,  especially 
as  this  would  not  be  accomplished  without  the  previous  re 
duction  of  Ticonderoga,  the  siege  of  which,  to  say  the  least, 
must  be  long,  difficult  and  sanguinary,  and  calculating  the 
dangers  of  having  his  provisions  cut  off  by  the  ice  in  the  wa 
ters  in  his  rear,  with  many  other  perils,  he  conducted  his 
army  back  towards  Montreal,  in  the  beginning  of  November. 

In  the  spring  of  1777,  the  campaign  was  again  opened. 
General  Burgoyne  had  gone  to  England  the  preceding  winter, 
to  concert  with  the  ministers  the  means  of  carrying  into 
effect  the  plan  which  he  submitted  to  them,  for  the  conquest 
of  America.  He  received  the  chief  command  of  the  army 
of  Canada,  and  returned  to  Quebec,  where  he  arrived  about 
the  beginning  of  May.  Great  preparations  had  been  made 
in  England  and  in  Canada  for  this  grand  enterprise,  which 
nearly  all  England  expected  would  succeed.  Burgoyne,  with 
an  army  of  7000  troops,  of  whom  about  one-half  were  Eng 
lish  and  Germans,  and  the  rest  Canadians ;  besides  an  unusu 
ally  powerful  train  of  artillery,  and  several  tribes  of  Indians, 
which  the  British  government  had  employed ;  left  Canada, 
accompanied  by  able  and  experienced  officers,  the  principal 
of  whom  were,  Major-General  Phillips ;  Brigadier-Generals 
Frazer,  Powell,  and  Hamilton,  with  the  Brunswick  major- 
general,  Baron  Reidesel,  and  Brigadier-General  Specht,  and 
on  the  1st  of  July  landed  and  invested  Ticonderoga. 

The  garrison  at  Ticonderoga  at  this  time  consisted  of  only 


358 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1777. 


about  3000  men,  commanded  by  General  St.  Clair.  Too 
feeble  to  defend  such  extensive  works,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  fortify  Mount  Defiance,  which  overlooks  and  commands 
the  fort,  the  latter  was  unprotected.  The  enemy  examined 
it,  and,  with  great  labour  and  difficulty,  commenced  establish 
ing  their  artillery  upon  the  summit.  Nearly  surrounded  by 
the  enemy,  and  convinced  that  he  must  surrender  at  discre 
tion,  if  he  remained  until  the  completion  of  the  batteries,  St. 
Clair  called  a  council  of  war,  where  it  was  resolved  to  evacu 
ate  the  place  without  delay.  To  this  conclusion  they  came 
the  more  readily,  because  they  knew  that  General  Schuyler, 
who  had  the  command  of  the  army  of  the  north,  was  at  fort 
Edward,  and  had  not  force  enough  to  defend  himself. 

In  the  night  of  the  5th  of  July  the  retreat  was  commenced, 
in  profound  silence ;  but  a  house  taking  fire,  the  light  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  enemy,  and  they  discovered  what  had 
taken  place.  General  Frazer,  with  a  strong  detachment,  was 
sent  in  pursuit,  and  overtaking  the  rear  of  the  Americans,  on 
the  morning  of  the  7th,  at  Hubbardston,  twenty-four  miles 
from  the  fort,  a  long  and  sanguinary  battle  was  fought.  The 
enemy  at  last  began  to  fall  back  in  disorder,  wrhen  General 
Reidesel  arrived  with  reinforcements,  and  took  part  in  the 
action.  Overpowered  by  numbers,  the  Americans  fled  in 
every  direction,  leaving  many  of  their  officers,  and  upwards 
of  200  soldiers  dead  on  the  field.  About  600  were  wounded, 
many  of  whom  perished  miserably  in  the  woods,  The  loss 
of  the  enemy  in  killed  and  wounded  was  180.  General  St. 
Clair  proceeded  by  a  circuitous  route  to  fort  Edward,  where 
he  joined  General  Schuyler.  The  English  generals  now  di 
rected  their  attention  to  fort  Ann,  to  which  some  of  the  Ame 
ricans  had  fled,  in  their  retreat  from  Ticonderoga.  Colonel 
Hill  was  despatched  to  drive  them  away.  Colonel  Long,  who 
commanded  the  fort,  sallied  out  to  meet  him,  and  a  bloody 
conflict  took  place.  After  the  combat  had  raged  for  two 
hours,  and  victory  was  still  doubtful,  the  horrible  yells  of  the 
savages  were  heard  ;  and  another  reinforcement  approaching, 
the  Americans  retreated  to  the  fort,  set  it  on  fire,  and  retired 
to  fort  Edward,  on  the  Hudson,  only  six  miles  distant.  Bur- 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  359 

goyne,  with  the  main  army,  was  still  at  Skeenesborough, 
about  to  plunge  into  the  fearful  solitudes  of  an  almost  impe 
netrable  forest,  on  his  way  to  fort  Edward.  Another  column 
he  ordered  to  embark  at  the  same  time  at  Ticonderoga,  pro 
ceed  up  lake  George,  reduce  the  fort  of  the  same  name,  and 
join  him  at  fort  Edward. 

Meanwhile,  General  Schuyler,  whose  army  at  fort  Edward 
did  not  exceed  4000  men,  made  almost  incredible  exertions  to 
impede  the  progress  of  the  enemy  through  the  wilderness 
from  fort  Ann,  by  throwing  every  obstacle  in  their  way.  The 
ground  between  these  two  forts  is  exceedingly  rough  and 
difficult,  full  of  creeks,  as  well  as  wide  and  deep  morasses 
The  American  general  opened  trenches,  obstructed  the  roads, 
broke  down  the  bridges,  cut  trees  across  and  lengthwise  into 
the  narrow  defiles,  so  as  to  render  a  speedy  arrival  of  the 
enemy  on  the  Hudson  impossible.  This,  he  knew,  would 
afford  the  Americans  time  to  receive  reinforcements,  and  be 
better  prepared  for  defence. 

The  loss  of  the  American  forts,  constituting  the  keys  to 
the  States ;  the  loss  of  128  pieces  of  artillery,  with  immense 
quantities  of  warlike  stores,  baggage  and  provisions,  not  only 
had  an  injurious  effect  on  the  morale  of  the  army,  but  re 
tarded  the  enlistment  of  others.  The  reputation  of  the  offi 
cers  was  assailed.  The  most  ridiculous  stories  were  circu 
lated  of  St.  Clair ;  and  even  General  Schuyler  did  not  escape 
the  venom  of  detraction  and  of  slander,  after  all  his  patriotic 
services  and  incessant  toils ; 

'•And  sterner  hearts  alone  can  fee! 
The  wound  that  time  can  never  heal.'*" 

When  the  news  of  Burgoyne's  success  in  taking  the  forts 
reached  England,  the  ministers,  the  government,  and  the 
people  became  almost  frantic  with  joy.  confident  of  the  speedy 
success  of  their  arms,  in  bringing  the  audacious  rebels  to  the 
foot  of  the  British  throne. 

After  the  most  Herculean  exertions,  Burgoyne  arrived  at 
fort  Edward,  on  the  30th  of  July.  For  this  delay,  so  bene 
ficial  to  our  cause,  let  us  drop  a  laurel  wreath  on  the  tomb  of 


360  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777 


Schuyler.     This  the  reader  will  the  more  readily  grant  to 
his  memory  at  the  end  of  the  campaign. 

General  Schuyler,  still  unwilling  to  risk  his  army  by  de 
fending  fort  Edward,  retired  four  miles  down  the  river,  and 
entrenched  himself;  and  becoming  apprehensive  that  Colonel 
St.  Leger,  who,  after  the  reduction  of  fort  Stanwix,  against 
which  he  had  been  sent,  might  descend  the  left  bank  of  the 
Mohawk,  and  cut  off  his  retreat,  he  moved  lower  down  the 
Hudson,  where  he  threw  up  entrenchments  on  Van  Shaick's 
island,  formed  by  the  mouths  of  the  Mohawk.  At  the  same 
time,  the  Americans  retired  from  fort  George,  after  burning 
their  vessels  upon  the  lake,  to  prevent  them  from  falling  into 
the  enemy's  hands. 

The  two  generals  were  now  incessantly  employed — the  one 
in  increasing  the  number  of  his  soldiers,  the  other  in  feeding 
those  he  brought  from  Canada.  Every  possible  effort  was 
made  to  increase  the  northern  army,  not  only  by  Schuyler, 
but  also  by  Congress  and  by  Washington.  General  Lincoln 
was  sent  to  New  England  to  persuade  the  militia  to  enlist  in 
the  defence  of  their  country.  Arnold  was  sent  to  the  army 
to  fight — emphatically  to  fightl  He  was  a  terrible  fellow,  and 
no  traitor  yet ;  consequently  we  can  do  him  justice  with  a 
better  grace.  Colonel  Morgan,  with  his  troop  of  light  horse, 
was  also  ordered  to  repair  to  the  Hudson.  The  army  was 
thus  daily  increasing.  On  the  other  hand,  Burgoyne,  who 
was  still  at  fort  Edward,  finding  himself  in  a  hostile  country, 
where  he  could  obtain  no  provisions,  except  from  the  lakes, 
began  to  lose  some  of  the  exultation  he  felt  on  his  arrival  on 
the  Hudson.  The  roads  from  fort  George,  a  distance  of 
eighteen  miles,  were  in  some  parts  steep,  and  in  others  in  bad 
repair.  Horses  and  oxen  were  employed  to  drag  provisions, 
ammunition,  and  batteaux  to  the  army ;  and  among  the  mili 
tary  stores,  were  uniforms  for  those  Americans  who  should  join 
the  British  army. 

With  the  most  indefatigable  perseverance,  they  could  only 
supply  the  army  with  provisions  for  immediate  use,  without 
being  able  to  lay  up  a  store  which  would  enable  them  to  pro 
ceed  further  from  the  source  of  their  subsistence. 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  361 


But,  before  we  follow  Burgoyne  any  further  in  his  unex 
pected  embarrassments,  we  must  give  some  attention  to  the 
proceedings  at  fort  Stanwix,  sometimes  called  fort  Schuyler. 
On  the  3d  of  August,  Colonel  St.  Leger,  with  800  English, 
Germans,  Canadians,  and  American  loyalists,  followed  by  a 
number  of  savages,  had  invested  this  fort,  which  was  defended 
by  Colonels  Gansavort  and  Willet,  with  700  men.  General 
Herkimer  assembled  a  number  of  militia,  and  marched  to  the 
relief  of  the  fort.  When  within  six  miles  of  the  fort,  he  sent 
an  express  to  inform  Gansavort  that  he  would  attempt  to  join 
his  garrison.  A  successful  sally  was  made  from  the  fort  by 
Willet  to  favour  the  enterprise.  Herkimer  advanced  incau 
tiously,  without  a  reconnoitering  party  in  front,  or  rangers 
upon  his  flank,  and  fell  into  an  ambuscade  formed  by  Sir  John 
Johnson,  with  a  party  of  regulars  and  Indians,  who  had  con 
cealed  themselves  in  the  woods.  No  sooner  had  the  Ameri 
cans  passed,  than  the  savages,  with  fiendish  yell,  fell  upon 
their  rear  like  enraged  wild  beasts.  The  woods  resounded 
with  the  dreadful  din  of  arms,  and  a  horrible  slaughter  of 
those  who  resisted,  and  those  who  surrendered,  disgraced  the 
nation  who  employed  these  savage  auxiliaries,  always  thirsting 
for  blood  and  carnage.  The  Americans,  though  surprised,  and 
somewhat  dismayed,  after  keeping  up  a  running  fight  for  some 
time,  formed  themselves  into  a  solid  column  on  advantageous 
ground,  and  opposed  their  rifles  and  bayonets  to  the  hatchet 
and  spear  of  the  savage.  The  enemy  now  hearing  of  the 
attack  made  upon  their  camp  by  Colonel  Willet,  retired  to 
aid  in  its  defence.  The  Americans  lost  400  men,  among  whom 
was  General  Herkimer.  The  Indians  lost  sixty,  in  killed  and 
wounded,  among  whom  were  several  of  their  principal  chiefs 
and  favourite  warriors. 

Willet  entered  the  camp  of  the  enemy  during  the  absence 
of  this  detachment,  and  after  killing  a  great  number,  and 
driving  the  rest  into  the  woods,  he  carried  off  many  spoils, 
and  raised  a  trophy  under  the  American  flag,  floating  over 
the  wooden  fort.  After  the  defeat  of  Herkimer,  Willet  and 
another  officer,  Stockwell,(let  his  name  be  known,)  undertook 
a  most  daring  enterprise.  They  penetrated  through  the  camp 

46  2r 


362  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

of  the  enemy,  eluding  their  vigilance,  and  travelled  through  a 
wilderness,  a  distance  of  fifty  miles,  to  bring  relief  to  the  fort. 

Meanwhile,  St.  Leger  sent  messages  to  Gansavort,  demand 
ing  a  surrender,  promising  to  treat  him  according  to  the  rules 
of  civilized  nations,,  if  he  submitted  immediately,  but  made 
the  most  brutal  threats  as  to  what  would  be  done  by  the  In 
dians  in  case  he  refused. 

The  American  officer  replied  like  a  man.  He  said  he  was 
intrusted  with  the  charge  of  that  garrison  by  the  United 
States ;  that  he  should  defend  it  at  all  hazards ;  and  that  he 
neither  thought  himself  accountable  for,  nor  should  he  at  all 
conce-m  himself  about  any  consequences  that  attended  the  dis 
charge  of  his  duty. 

A  fearful  retribution  now  appeared  to  threaten  the  British 
commander  :  the  savages,  who  had  lost  many  of  their  favour 
ites,  and  who  felt  themselves  disappointed  in  obtaining  plun 
der,  not  only  became  sullen  and  ungovernable  in  a  military 
point  of  view,  but  threatened  to  fall  upon  their  employers, 
and  rob  their  camp. 

General  Schuyler,  upon  receiving  intelligence  that  this  fort 
was  besieged,  despatched  Arnold  to  its  relief.  Full  of  fire 
and  energy,  as  usual,  he  hastened  by  forced  marches  towards 
his  destination.  The  Indians,  hearing  of  his  approach,  were 
terrified  and  dismayed  at  the  name  of  Arnold.  As  they  had 
already  been  dissatisfied  with  their  alliance,  they  were  no\v 
soon  ready  to  abandon  the  camp.  Some  actually  decamped, 
while  the  rest  threatened  to  do  the  same  if  St.  Leger  did  not 

o 

retreat.  The  siege  was  raised  on  the  22d  of  August,  and  the 
enemy  retreated.  The  Americans  sallied  from  the  fort  and 
attacked  their  rear,  and  took  their  tents,  artillery  and  stores. 
But  their  savage  allies  now  became  their  worst  enemies. 
They  robbed  the  officers  and  the  soldiers  of  their  baggage, 
and  killed  many  of  those  soldiers  who  could  not  keep  up 
with  the  rest,  until  all  was  terror  and  confusion  among  the 
British  troops.  The  inconceivable  horrors  produced  by  such 
a  situation,  is  a  fit  subject  for  those  American  politicians  to 
contemplate,  who  would  form  political  alliances  of  any  kind 
with  those  who  have  no  feelings  in  common  with  themselves. 


1777.}  REVOLUTION.  363 


Such  politicians  we  have,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the  people  to 
dispense  with  the  services  of  such  pseudo-patriots,  who  seek 
only  their  own  advancement. 

Two  days  after  the  siege  was  raised,  Arnold  arrived  at  the 
fort,  and  was  received  by  the  garrison  as  their  deliverer. 
His  services  not  being  required  now,  he  returned  to  the  army 
at  Van  Shaick's  Island.  St.  Leger  retreated  to  Montreal, 
and  afterwards  joined  Burgoyne  by  the  way  of  Ticonderoga. 

Unable  to  proceed  without  provisions,  Burgoyne  resolved 
to  make  an  attack  on  Bennington,  about  twenty  miles  from 
the  left  side  of  the  Hudson,  where  the  Americans  had  large 
supplies  of  cattle,  provisions,  and  stores,  which  they  had 
received  from  the  New  England  provinces.  The  German 
Colonel  Baum  was  despatched  with  about  600  men,  including 
200  of  Reidesel's  dismounted  dragoons  and  100  savages. 

To  facilitate  this  enterprise,  Burgoyne  moved  down  the 
left  side  of  the  Hudson,  and  establishing  his  camp  nearly 
opposite  Saratoga,  he  threw  a  bridge  of  rafts  across  the 
river.  The  object  of  this  was  to  hold  the  American  army  in 
check,  by  exciting  a  belief  that  they  were  on  the  point  of 
being  attacked.  Colonel  Stark,  who  was  on  his  march  to 
join  General  Schuyler  with  1000  militia,  hearing  of  the  ap 
proach  of  Baum,  altered  his  course  and  hastened  towards 
Bennington,  where  he  joined  Colonel  Warner,  at  the  head  of 
about  the  same  number  of  militia.  Baum,  considering  Stark 
too  strong  to  be  attacked,  entrenched  himself  near  Santcroick 
Mills,  on  the  Walloon  Creek,  four  miles  from  Bennington,  and 
sent  for  Colonel  Breyman,  posted  on  Batten  Kill,  to  join  him. 
But  Stark  issued'  out  from  Bennington  on  the  morning  of  the 
16th  of  August,  and  attacked  Baum  in  his  entrenchments, 
with  a  firm  resolve  "  to  conquer  or  make  Molly  Stark  a 
widow."  The  savages,  British,  and  Canadians,  soon  fled  into 
the  woods,  while  the  Germans  fought  vigorously  until  their 
ammunition  was  expended,  when  they  made  use  of  their 
swords.  They  were  overwhelmed  and  made  prisoners  with 
their  wounded  commander. 

Breyman  now  arrived,  at  four  o'clock,  and  renewed  the  fight, 
which  was  continued  until  dusk,  when  the  enemy  retreated, 


364 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1777. 


with  great  precipitation,  and  left  baggage,  muskets,  artillery, 
and  sabres  in  the  power  of  the  conqueror.  The  royalists  lost 
in  these  two  battles,  about  200  killed,  and  500  prisoners. 
The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  inconsiderable.  Stark  received 
the  thanks  of  Congress  and  was  made  a  brigadier-general. 
Colonel  Warner,  who  seconded  Stark,  deserves  great  praise 
for  his  gallant  conduct. 

This  was  the  first  check  the  enemy  received  in  this  cam 
paign,  (the  retreat  at  fort  Stanwix  taking  place  a  few  days 
later,)  and  it  was  a  grievous  one,  as  it  placed  them  in  a  very 
critical  situation,  while  the  American  army  was  daily  in 
creasing  in  strength  and  spirits. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  when  the  affairs  of  the  north  yet 
wore  a  gloomy  aspect,  Congress  had  appointed  General  Gates 
commander  of  the  army,  in  place  of  Schuyler,  and,  on  the 
21st,  he  arrived  at  Stillwater.  Gates  was  a  popular  man, 
and  it  was  supposed  his  name  alone  would  have  a  beneficial 
influence.  Schuyler  complained  bitterly  to  Washington; 
stating  that  the  fruit  of  his  toils  was  given  to  another,  who 
was  about  to  enjoy  that  victory  for  which  he  had  prepared 
the  way.  Though  superseded,  Schuyler  exerted  his  powers 
in  defence  of  his  country,  exhibiting  a  zeal  and  patriotism 
worthy  of  all  praise,  at  a  period  when  his  own  injuries  were 
severely  felt. 

The  popularity  of  Gates  in  New  England,  had  the  effect 
which  Congress  anticipated  and  desired.  The  people  enlisted 
with  more  alacrity  and  the  northern  army  was  rapidly 
increasing. 

This  enthusiasm  of  the  people,  however,  is  partly  to  be 
ascribed  to  their  natural  love  of  liberty,  and  the  shocking 
outrages  committed  by  the  savages  under  Burgoyne  and  St. 
Leger.  These  savages  prowled  in  the  night  like  wild  beasts 
— visited  the  houses — dragged  out  the  inhabitants,  and  mur 
dered  men,  women,  and  children  in  a  most  barbarous  manner, 
whether  they  were  loyalists  or  republicans.  Among  these 
victims  was  Miss  Jane  M'Crea,  a  young  lady  distinguished 
for  her  virtues,  her  beauty,  and  her  amiable  disposition ;  of  a 
highly  respectable  family,  and  affianced  to  an  officer  then  in 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  365 

Burgoyne's  army.  The  murder  of  this  lady  has  been  the 
theme  of  the  poet,  the  novelist,  and  the  orator,  and  her  affect 
ing  story  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the  minds  of  the 
American  people. 

"  Two  Mohawks  met  the  maid — historian,  hold  ! — 

Poor  human  nature !  must  thy  shame  be  told  ? 

****** 

She  starts;  with  eyes  upturn'd  and  fleeting-  breath, 

In  their  raised  axes  views  her  instant  death, 

Spreads  her  white  hands  to  heaven  in  frantic  prayer, 

Then  runs  to  grasp  their  knees,  and  crouches  there. 

Her  hair,  half-lost  along  the  shrubs  she  pass'd, 

Rolls  in  loose  tangles  round  her  lovely  waist; 

Her  kerchief,  torn,  betrays  the  globes  of  snow 

That  heave  responsive  to  her  weight  of  woe. 

****** 

With  calculating  pause  and  demon  grin, 

They  seize  her  hands,  and,  through  her  face  divine, 

Drive  the  descending  axe ;"  * 

The  story  of  Miss  M'Crea  has  been  told  with  various  em 
bellishments,  sometimes  so  improbable  as  to  be  unworthy  of 
credit.  The  plain  facts  in  the  case  appear  to  be  as  follows : 
When  the  American  army  retreated  from  fort  Edward,  this 
young  lady  and  the  family  with  whom  she  lived  remained  in 
the  vicinity  of  this  fort.  The  Indians,  on  their  arrival,  made 
her  prisoner,  and  on  their  return  to  Burgoyne's  camp  they 
halted  at  a  spring,  where  a  quarrel  arose  as  to  whom  the 
captive  belonged.  "  To  put  an  end  to  the  dispute,"  says  Ge 
neral  Wilkinson,  "  a  monster  tomahawked  her,  and  thus  she 
fell  a  victim  to  the  ferocious  brutality  of  the  Indians." 

The  following  account  from  the  Port  Folio  is  generally  ad 
mitted  to  be  one  of  the  best.  We  would,  however,  take 
leave  to  premise  that  one  part  of  this  description  appears  to 
be  inconsistent  with  itself,  and  another  highly  improbable. 
1.  The  account  of  the  nine  wounds  made  with  the  "  knife  or 
tomahawk"  does  not  accord  with  the  assertion  that  "  she  was 
shot,"  and  that  "  she  instantly  fell  and  expired."  2.  It  is  not 
probable  that  Jones  would  send  a  letter  by  the  savages  re 
questing  his  intended  to  put  herself  under  their  charge.  I 

2r* 


366  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

am  not  now  appealing  to  ill-tempered  old  bachelors,  but  to 
young  lovers  who  intend  to  pop  the  question  the  next  time,  (if 
their  courage  does  not  fail.)  I  would  ask  you,  who  are  the 
best  judges,  would  you  send  savages  to  protect  the  lady  you 
loved,  and  ask  any  one  of  them  to  act  as  your  proxy? — If 
not,  how  can  you  believe  that  Jones  would  do  so  ?  There  is 
but  one  ground  upon  which  we  can  give  any  credit  to  this 
part  of  the  story :  if  the  Indians  were  sent  in  the  direction 
of  the  lady's  residence  by  some  superior  officer,  over  whom 
Jones  had  no  control,  he  might  have  adopted  this  method,  at 

|  the  same  time  offering  a  bribe  to  the  savages  to  protect  her 
from  the  indiscriminate  murder  of  which  they  were  usually 
guilty,  and  to  lead  her  to  his  post,  which  he  wTas  not  allowed 
to  abandon.  If  this  be  true,  it  should  be  distinctly  men 
tioned,  to  remove  the  otherwise  unnatural  features  of  the 

I  tale.  The  other  parts  of  this  description  I  believe  to  be  cor 
rect.  We  said  it  is  from  the  Port  Folio ;  this  paper,  how 
ever,  credits  it  to  Jared  Sparks'  Life  and  Treason  of  Arnold. 

The  Murder  of  Miss  MCrea. 

"  The  murder  of  Miss  M'Crea  has  been  a  theme,  which 
eloquence  and  sensibility  have  alike  contributed  to  dignify, 
and  which  has  kindled  in  many  a  breast  the  emotions  of  a 
responsive  sympathy.  General  Gates'  description,  in  his  let 
ter  to  Burgoyne,  although  more  ornate  than  forcible,  and 
abounding  more  in  bad  taste  than  simplicity  or  pathos,  was 
suited  to  the  feelings  of  the  moment,  and  produced  a  lively 
impression  in  every  part  of  America ;  and  the  glowing  lan 
guage  of  Burke,  in  one  of  his  most  celebrated  speeches  in  the 
British  Parliament,  made  the  story  of  Jane  M'Crea  familiar 
to  the  European  world. 

"  This  young  lady  was  the  daughter  of  a  clergyman,  who 
died  in  New  Jersey  before  the  revolution.  Upon  her  father's 
death  she  sought  a  home  in  the  house  of  her  brother,  a  re 
spectable  gentleman  residing  on  the  western  bank  of  the 
Hudson  river,  about  four  miles  below  Fort  Edward.  Here 
she  formed  an  intimacy  with  a  young  man  named  David 
Jones,  to  whom  it  was  understood  she  was  engaged  to  be 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  367 


married.  When  the  war  broke  out,  Jones  took  the  side  of 
the  royalists,  went  to  Canada,  received  a  commission,  and 
was  a  captain  or  lieutenant  among  the  provincials  in  Bur- 
goyne's  army. 

"  Fort  Edward  was  situated  on  the  eastern  margin  of  the 
Hudson  river,  within  a  few  yards  of  the  water,  and  sur 
rounded  by  a  plane  of  considerable  extent,  which  was  cleared 
of  wood  and  cultivated.  On  the  road  leading  to  the  north, 
and  near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  about  one-third  of  a  mile  from 
the  fort,  stood  a  house  occupied  by  Mrs.  M'Neil,  a  widow 
lady  and  an  acquaintance  of  Miss  jVPCrea,  with  whom  she 
was  staying  as  a  visiter  at  the  time  the  American  army  was 
in  that  neighbourhood.  The  side  of  the  hill  was  covered 
writh  a  growth  of  bushes,  and  on  its  top,  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  house,  stood  a  large  pine  tree,  near  the  root  of  which 
gushed  out  a  perennial  spring  of  water.  A  guard  of  one 
hundred  men  had  been  left  at  the  fort,  and  a  picket  under 
Lieutenant  Van  Vechten  was  stationed  in  the  woods  on  the 
hill  a  little  beyond  the  pine  tree. 

"  Early  one  morning,  this  picket-guard  was  attacked  by  a 
party  of  Indians,  rushing  through  the  woods  from  different 
points  at  the  same  moment,  and  rending  the  air  with  hideous 
yells.  Lieutenant  Van  Vechten  and  five  others  were  killed 
and  scalped,  and  four  were  wounded.  Samuel  Standish,  one 
of  the  guard,  whose  post  was  near  the  pine  tree,  discharged 
his  musket  at  the  first  Indian  he  saw,  and  ran  down  the  hill 
towards  the  fort ;  but  he  had  no  sooner  reached  the  plain 
than  three  Indians,  who  had  pursued  him  to  cut  off  his  retreat 
darted  out  of  the  bushes,  fired,  and  wounded  him  in  the  foot. 
One  of  them  sprang  upon  him,  threw  him  to  the  ground 
pinioned  his  arms,  and  then  pushed  him  violently  forward  up 
the  hill.  He  naturally  made  as  much  haste  as  he  could,  and 
in  a  short  time  they  came  to  the  spring,  where  several  Indians 
were  assembled. 

"  Here  Standish  was  left  to  himself,  at  a  little  distance  from 
the  spring  and  the  pine  tree,  expecting  every  moment  to  share 
the  fate  of  his  comrades,  whose  scalps  were  conspicuously 
displayed.  A  few  minutes  only  had  elapsed,  when  he  saw 


368  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


small  party  of  Indians  ascending  the  hill,  and  with  them  Mrs. 
M'Niel  and  Miss  M'Crea  on  foot.  He  knew  them  both,  having 
often  been  at  Mrs.  M'NiePs  house.  The  party  had  hardly 
joined  the  other  Indians,  when  he  perceived  much  agitation 
among  them,  high  words,  and  violent  gestures,  till  at  length 
they  engaged  in  a  furious  quarrel,  and  beat  one  another  with 
their  muskets.  In  the  midst  of  this  fray,  one  of  the  chiefs, 
apparently  in  a  paroxysm  of  rage,  shot  Miss  M'Crea  in  the 
breast.  She  instantly  fell  and  expired.  Her  hair  was  long 
and  flowing.  The  same  chief  grasped  it  in  his  hand,  seized 
his  knife,  and  took  oft'  the  scalp  in  such  a  manner  as  to  include 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  hair ;  then  springing  from  the  ground, 
he  tossed  it  in  the  face  of  a  young  warrior,  who  stood  near 
him  watching  the  operation,  brandished  it  in  the  air,  and 
uttered  a  yell  of  savage  exultation.  When  this  was  done 
the  quarrel  ceased :  and,  as  the  fort  had  already  been  alarmed, 
the  Indians  hurried  away  as  quickly  as  possible  to  General 
Frazer's  encampment,  on  the  road  to  fort  Ann,  taking  with 
them  Mrs.  M'Niel  and  Samuel  Standish. 

"  The  bodies  of  the  slain  were  found  by  a  party  that  went 
in  pursuit,  and  were  carried  across  the  river.  They  had  been 
stripped  of  their  clothing,  and  the  body  of  Miss  M'Crea  was 
wounded  in  nine  places,  either  by  a  scalping-knife  or  a  toma 
hawk.  A  messenger  was  despatched  to  convey  the  afflicting 
intelligence  to  her  brother,  who  arrived  soon  afterwards,  took 
charge  of  his  sister's  remains,  and  had  them  interred  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  about  three  miles  below  the  fort.  The 
body  of  Lieutenant  Van  Vechten  was  buried  at  the  same 
time,  and  on  the  same  spot. 

"  History  has  preserved  no  facts  by  which  we  can,  at  this 
day,  ascertain  the  reason  why  Miss  M'Crea  should  remain 
as  she  did,  in  so  exposed  and  unprotected  a  situation.  She 
had  been  reminded  of  her  danger  by  the  people  at  the  fort. 
Tradition  relates,  however,  and  with  seeming  truth,  that 
through  some  medium  of  communication  she  had  promised 
her  lover,  probably  by  his  advice,  to  remain  in  this  place, 
until  the  approach  of  the  British  troops  should  afford  her  an 
opportunity  to  join  him, in  company  with  herhostess  and  friend. 


I  1777.] 


REVOLUTION. 


It  is  said  that,  when  they  saw  the  Indians  coming  to  the 
house,  they  were  at  first  frightened,  and  attempted  to  escape  ; 
but,  as  the  Indians  made  signs  of  a  pacific  intention,  and  one 
of  them  held  up  a  letter,  intimating  that  it  was  to  be  opened, 
their  fears  were  calmed,  and  the  letter  was  read.  It  was 
from  Jones,  and  contained  a  request  that  they  would  put 
themselves  under  the  charge  of  the  Indians,  whom  he  had 
sent  for  the  purpose,  and  who  would  guard  them  in  safety  to 
the  British  camp.  Unfortunately,  two  separate  parties  of 
Indians,  or  at  least  two  chiefs,  acting  independently  of  each 
other,  had  united  in  this  enterprise,  combining  with  it  an 
attack  on  the  picket-guard.  It  is  incredible  that  Jones  should 
have  known  this  part  of  the  arrangement,  or  he  would  have 
foreseen  the  danger  it  threatened.  When  the  prize  was  in 
their  hands,  the  two  chiefs  quarrelled  about  the  mode  of  di 
viding  the  reward  they  were  to  receive ;  and,  according  to 
the  Indian  rule  of  settling  disputes  in  the  case  of  captives, 
one  of  them,  in  a  wild  fit  of  passion,  killed  the  victim  and 
secured  the  scalp.  Nor  is  it  the  least  shocking  feature  of  the 
transaction,  that  the  savage  seemed  not  aware  of  the  nature 
of  his  mission.  Uninformed  as  to  the  motive  of  his  employer 
for  obtaining  the  person  of  the  lady,  or  not  comprehending  it, 
he  regarded  her  in  the  light  of  a  prisoner,  and  supposed  the 
scalp  would  be  an  acceptable  trophy.  Let  it  be  imagined 
what  were  the  feelings  of  the  anxious  lover,  waiting  with 
joyful  anticipation  the  arrival  of  his  intended  bride,  when 
this  appalling  proof  of  her  death  was  presented  to  him.  The 
innocent  had  suffered  by  the  hand  of  cruelty  and  violence, 
which  he  had  unconsciously  armed ;  his  most  fondly  cherished 
hopes  were  blasted,  and  a  sting  was  planted  in  his  soul,  which 
time  and  forgetfulness  could  never  eradicate.  His  spirit  was 
scathed,  and  his  heart  broken.  He  lived  but  a  few  years,  a 
prey  to  his  sad  recollections,  and  sunk  into  the  grave  under 
the  burden  of  his  grief. 

"  The  remembrance  of  this  melancholy  tale  is  still  che 
rished  with  a  lively  sympathy  by  the  people  who  dwell  near 
the  scene  of  its  principal  incidents.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
village  at  fort  Edward  have  lately  removed  the  remains  of 

47 


370  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 


Miss  M'Crea  from  their  obscure  resting-place,  and  deposited 
them  in  the  public  burial-ground.  The  ceremony  was 
solemn  and  impressive:  a  procession  of  young  men  and 
maidens  followed  the  relics,  and  wept  in  silence  when  the 
earth  was  again  closed  over  them ;  thus  exhibiting  an  honour 
able  proof  of  sensibility  and  respect  for  the  dead.  The  little 
fountain  still  pours  its  clear  waters  near  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
and  the  venerable  pine  is  yet  standing  in  its  ancient  majesty, 
broken  at  the  top  and  shorn  of  its  branches  by  the  winds  and 
storms  of  halt*  a  century,  but  revered  as  marking  the  spot 
where  youth  and  innocence  were  sacrificed  in  the  tragical 
death  of  Jane  M'Crea.'' 

We  now  return  to  the  two  armies.  One  is  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Hudson  opposite  Saratoga — the  other  on  the  island 
formed  by  a  division  of  the  Mohawk  at  its  confluence  with 
the  Hudson.  , 

We  shall  now  attemj3t  to  give  a  sketch  of  the  battle-ground, 
situated  between  the  present  encampments  of  the  armies. 

We  always  consider  it  in  bad  taste  to  speak  of  our  own 
travels  and  observations,  in  a  work  like  this,  but  by  following 
the  course  of  our  journey,  we  can  give  the  reader  a  better 
idea  of  places,  than  by  any  other  method ;  and  at  the  same 
time  remov  confusion  into  which  we  were  at  first  led, 

by  the  fact,  t;  there  is  now  a  new  Saratoga,  and  the  old 
village  of  th;u  name  has  been  changed  to  Schuylerville. 
Stillwater,  Bemus's  Heights,  and  the  plan  of  the  present  Ame 
rican  encampment,  are  often  spoken  of  indiscriminately,  until 
the  reader  tortures  his  imagination  in  vain  to  give  the  battle 
ground  a  local  habitation  and  a  name. 

After  visiting  Saratoga  springs,  by  the  way  of  Schenec- 
tady,  we  returned  to  Troy  and  Albany  by  way  of  the  Hud 
son  river,  that  we  might  pass  the  battle-ground  of  Saratoga. 
Leaving  the  springs,  we  travelled  in  a  private  conveyance  a 
distance  of  twelve  miles,  to  old  Saratoga,  or  Schuylerville, 
situated  on  the  Hudson.  At  this  place,  as  we  shall  see  here 
after,  Burgoyne  surrendered;  but  the  battle-field  is  about 
eight  miles  lower  down  the  river.  We  got  into  a  canal-boat 
and  crept  down  the  river  with  the  speed  of  three  miles  an 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  371 

hour,  until  opposite  Bemus's  Heights,  where  the  entrench 
ments  of  the  two  armies  can  still  be  seen.  The  ground  near 
the  river  is  level,  but  several  hundred  yards  off  it  rises  ab 
ruptly  into  lofty  heights,  which  at  first  are  cut  in  various 
directions  by  such  deep  ravines,  that  it  is  exceedingly  diffi 
cult  to  descend  on  the  one  side,  and  clamber  up  on  the  other. 
We  experienced  this,  by  wandering  about  these  dreary 
abodes,  in  search  of  the  old  redoubts  and  the  skirmishing 
grounds,  celebrated  in  history.  After  climbing  the  steep  hills 
near  the  river — wading  through  low  marshy  places — thread 
ing  our  way  through  a  wilderness,  over  stumps  of  trees,  logs, 
and  stones — over,  or  rather  through  ditches,  deep  and  wide : 
over,  or  through  rivulets,  according  to  their  width,  we  at  last 
inquired  our  way  to  "  Freeman's  Farm,"  on  which  we  still 
see  the  British  entrenchments.  From  this  we  proceeded  to 
the  hospitable  abode  of  Mr.  Joseph  Walker,  whose  house  is 
situated  between  the  entrenchments  of  the  two  armies.  One 
battle  was  fought  in  front  of  his  house,  and  another  near  one 
end  of  it. 

Here  the  old  gentleman  sits  at  the  front  door,  which  is 
kept  open  by  a  cannon-ball,  a  relic  of  the  revolution.  One 
of  his  children  comes  with  his  relics,  (for  every  family  resid 
ing  on  these  battle-grounds,  and  sometimes  every  member  of 
it,  has  a  budget — as  bones,  skulls,  cannon-balls,  grape-shot, 
musket-balls,  fragments  of  swords,  regimental  buttons,  &c.) 
among  which  were  some  gold  and  silver  coins,  which  were 
found  with  a  skeleton  while  digging  for  skulls,  to  supply  a 
phrenologist  who  had  visited  the  place  for  that  purpose.  Mr. 
Walker  says  that  the  skeletons  of  a  great  number  of  men  are 
so  near  the  surface  of  the  ground,  in  several  places  in  the 
vicinity  of  his  house,  that  the  land  is  not  now  cultivated, 
because  the  plough  would  turn  up  a  great  number  of  human 
bones.  The  old  gentleman  has  a  book  in  which,  we  were 
requested  to  record  our  name,  which  is  there  in  good  company, 
as  we  find  the  names  of  some  of  the  most  illustrious  men 
from  this  country  and  from  Europe  in  it.  The  next  morning 
we  visited  the  spot  where  Frazer  fell  mortally  wounded,  and 
from  which  he  was  taken  to  head-quarters  on  the  Hudson, 


372 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1777. 


two  miles  distant,  where  he  died.  This  house  stood  until 
about  a  year  ago,  when  all  was  taken  down  except  the  chim 
ney.  But  we  get  in  advance  of  our  history ;  we  are  describ 
ing  the  relics  of  a  battle  before  we  give  the  battle  itself — the 
skeletons  of  men  before  we  tell  how  they  became  such. 

We  shall  now  return  to  the  American  army,  moving  up 
the  river  again  to  the  ground  of  which  we  have  just  been 
speaking.  But  having  traced  the  progress  of  this  great  cam 
paign  to  this  very  interesting  place,  we  shall  lay  before  the 
reader  the  battle-scenes  as  we  find  them  described  in  the 
"  Memoirs  of  General  Wilkinson,"  who  was  one  of  the  actors. 
We  select  such  parts  as  appear  the  most  interesting. 

"  The  American  army,  about  6000  strong,  began  to  retrace 
its  steps  towards  the  enemy  on  the  8th  of  September,  and 
reached  Stillwater  the  next.  The  march  was  made  in  good 
order,  and  the  character  of  me  corps  seemed  renovated; 
courage  and  confidence  having  taken  place  of  timidity  and 
distrust.  The  ground  at  this  place  was  again  examined,  a 
line  for  entrenchments  traced,  a  fatigue  of  1000  men  put  to 
work  under  Colonel  Kosciusko,  and  the  following  order  was 
issued  on  the  10th : — *  Whether  it  may  be  immediately  ne 
cessary  to  engage  the  enemy  on  this  ground,  or  push  them 
into  Canada,  the  General  has  the  firmest  opinion  that  both 
officers  and  soldiers  will  be  ready,  at  a  moment's  notice,  to 
execute  his  commands.5  But  in  the  progress  of  the  work  it 
was  discovered  that  the  low  grounds  were  too  extensive  to 
permit  the  occupancy  of  the  heights  on  our  left,  without 
weakening  our  centre,  and  that  by  adopting  the  alternative, 
we  should  be  exposed  either  to  be  forced  or  flanked :  the  po 
sition  was  therefore  condemned  as  untenable,  before  a  differ 
ent  one  had  been  selected.  It  happened  that  I  had,  on  the 
retreat  of  the  army,  taken  notice  of  a  narrow  defile,  two  or 
three  miles  in  our  front,  formed  by  a  spur  of  the  hills,  jutting 
out  close  to  the  river.  I  communicated  the  circumstance  to 
the  General,  and  the  ground  was  reconnoitred  and  approved ; 
and  on  the  12th  the  army  took  possession  of  Bemus's  Heights, 
destined  to  become  the  theatre  of  those  hard-fought  actions, 
which  were  to  decide  the  fate  of  the  campaign. 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  373  ' 


"  The  General  had  received  no  information  of  the  situation 
of  the  enemy,  subsequent  to  the  visit  of  Doctor  Wood,  at 
which  time  Burgoyne  occupied  Duer's  house,  at  old  fort 
Miller,  his  elite  at  Batten-kiln,  opposite  to  Saratoga ;  in  fact, 
he  knew  not  whether  they  were  advancing,  retreating,  or 
stationary.  This  circumstance  was  embarrassing :  parties  of 
the  riflemen  had  been  tried ;  but  being  strangers  to  the  topo 
graphy  of  the  country,  they  were  at  a  loss  for  direction  and 
made  no  discovery.  Having  passed  frequently  between  fort 
Edward  and  Albany,  and  paid  strict  attention  to  the  locali 
ties  of  the  route,  I  believed  that  I  could  conduct  a  recon 
noitring  party  with  effect,  and  proposed  it  to  the  General, 
who  approved  my  purpose,  and  accordingly,  after  night-fall 
the  same  day,  I  marched  with  150  infantry  and  20  select 
riflemen,  under  that  incomparable  subaltern,  Lieutenant  John 
Hardin. 

"  Under  cover  of  a  dark  night,  I  advanced  directly  for  Sa 
ratoga,  and  a  little  before  day-break  I  reached  the  summit  of 
a  lofty  height,  about  two  miles  from  that  place,  called  Davo- 
cote.  During  a  momentary  pause  to  take  breath,  I  heard  the 
generate  beat  some  distance  in  my  front,  which  indicated  a 
military  movement :  I  therefore  halted,  and  having  formed 
my  party  in  a  wood  on  the  flanks  of  the  road,  detached  Lieu 
tenant  Hardin  with  his  riflemen  to  my  right,  by  the  low 
grounds  on  the  side  of  the  river,  to  make  observations,  and 
with  an  officer  and  three  men,  I  proceeded  under  cover  of  the 
wood  on  the  heights,  to  the  right  bank  of  the  Fishkill,  (or 
creek,)  in  the  vicinity  of  Saratoga  church.  It  was  now  broad 
daylight :  I  posted  my  men  to  keep  a  look-out  towards  the 
road  on  my  right,  and  advancing  cautiously,  I  discovered, 
within  three  hundred  yards  of  me,  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  creek,  a  body  of  men  drawn  up  under  arms.  At  this 
moment  I  heard  the  march  beat,  and  casting  my  eyes  towards 
the  river,  I  perceived  a  column  of  the  enemy,  descending  from 
the  heights  below  Batten-kill.  These  observations  satisfied 
me  General  Burgoyne  was  advancing,  and  I  rejoined  my 
scout,  who  informed  me  that  two  of  the  enemy's  infantry  were 

robbing  a  garden  under  the  hill.     We  immediately  made  these 

_-. 


374  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 


men  prisoners,  and  marched  back  with  them  to  the  detach 
ment  at  the  heights  of  Davocote,  where  I  found  Hardin,  who 
had  made  no  discovery,  and  we  returned  to  camp  about  noon. 

"  By  these  prisoners.  General  Gates  was  informed  of  General 
Burgoyne's  intentions :  that  chief,  after  immense  labour  and 
unavoidable  delays,  had  at  length  brought  forward  from  lake 
George  to  the  Hudson  river,  his  baggage,  artillery,  military 
stores,  and  a  month's  provisions,  with  a  sufficiency  of  live 
stock,  and  land  and  water  transport,  to  move  the  whole  ;  and 
thus  equipped,  he  concentrated  his  force,  abandoned  the  com 
munication  with  the  lakes,  which  his  numbers  could  not 
sustain,  and  crossed  the  river  to  prosecute  his  march  to 
Albany,  agreeably  to  his  instructions.  Our  labours  on  the 
fortifications  of  our  camp  were  redoubled  in  consequence  of 
this  advice,  and  calls  for  militia  were  transmitted  to  all  quar 
ters  ;  the  greater  number  of  General  Burgoyne's  Indians  had 
long  before  deserted  him,  and  the  few  who  remained  had  lost 
their  spirit  of  enterprise  :  this  circumstance  gave  our  riflemen 
so  decided  a  superiority,  that  on  his  approach,  he  could  not 
make  a  motion  without  our  knowledge,  nor  peep  beyond  his 
guards  with  safety.  The  condition  of  the  two  armies  was 
precisely  reversed ;  and  the  Americans  now  enjoyed,  in  the 
rifle  corps,  all  the  advantages  which  the  enemy  had  derived 
from  a  cloud  of  barbarians  at  the  opening  of  the  campaign. 

"  General  Burgoyne  crossed  the  Hudson  river  the  13th 
and  14th  of  September,  and  advanced  with  great  circum 
spection,  on  the  15th,  from  Saratoga  to  Davocote,  where  he 
halted  to  repair  bridges  in  his  front.  The  16th  was  em 
ployed  on  this  labour,  and  in  reconnoitring ;  on  the  17th  he 
advanced  a  mile  or  two,  resumed  his  march  on  the  18th, 
and  General  Arnold  was  detached  by  General  Gates,  with 
1500  men,  to  harass  him ;  but  after  a  light  skirmish  he  re 
turned  without  loss,  or  effecting  anything  more  than  picking 
up  a  few  stragglers ;  and  the  enemy  moved  forward  and  en 
camped,  in  two  lines,  about  two  miles  from  General  Gates; 
his  left  on  the  river,  and  his  right  extending,  at  right  angles 
to  it,  across  the  low  grounds  about  600  yards,  to  a  range  of 
steep  and  lofty  heights,  occupied  by  his  elite,  having  a  creek 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  375 


or  gulley  in  front,  made  by  a  rivulet  which  issued  from  a 
great  ravine  formed  by  the  hills,  which  ran  in  a  direction 
nearly  parallel  to  the  river,  until  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
American  camp. 

"  General  Gates's  right  occupied  the  brow  of  the  hill  near 
the  river,  with  which  it  was  connected  by  a  deep  entrench 
ment  ;  his  camp,  in  the  form  of  a  segment  of  a  great  circle, 
the  convex  towards  the  enemy,  extended  rather  obliquely  to 
his  rear,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  to  a  knoll  occupied  by 
his  left ;  his  front  was  covered,  from  the  right  to  the  left  of 
the  centre,  by  a  sharp  ravine  running  parallel  with  his  line 
and  closely  wooded ;  from  thence  to  the  knoll  at  his  extreme 
left,  the  ground  wras  level  and  had  been  partially  cleared, 
some  of  the  trees  being  felled  and  others  girdled,  beyond 
which,  in  front  of  his  left  flank,  and  extending  to  the  enemy's 
right,  there  were  several  small  fields  in  very  imperfect  culti 
vation,  the  surface  broken  and  obstructed  with  stumps  and 
fallen  timber,  and  the  whole  bounded,  on  the  wrest,  by  a  steep 
eminence. 

"  The  extremities  of  this  camp  were  defended  by  strong 
batteries,  and  the  interval  was  strengthened  by  a  breastwork 
without  entrenchments,  constructed  of  the  bodies  of  felled 
trees,  logs,  and  rails,  with  an  additional  battery  at  an  opening 
left  of  the  centre.  The  right  was  almost  impracticable ;  the 
left  difficult  of  approach.  I  describe  the  defences  of  this 
position  as  they  appeared  about  the  14th  of  October. 

"  The  intermediate  space  between  the  adverse  armies  on  the 
low  grounds  of  the  river,  wras  open  and  in  cultivation ;  the 
high  land  was  clothed  in  its  native  woods,  with  the  exception 
of  three  or  four  small,  newly  opened,  and  deserted  farms, 
separated  by  intervals  of  woodland,  and  bordering  on  the 
flanks  of  the  two  armies  most  remote  from  the  river;  the 
principal  of  these  was  an  oblong  field,  belonging  to  a  person 
of  the  name  of  Freeman ;  there  was  also,  exclusive  of  the 
ravines  fronting  the  respective  camps,  a  third  ravine,  about 
midway  between  them,  running  at  right  angles  to  the  river. 
The  intervening  forest  rendered  it  utterly  impracticable  to 
obtain  a  front  viewr  of  the  American  position,  or  any  part  of 


376  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

the  British  except  its  left  near  the  river.  On  the  18th,  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Colburn,  of  the  New  Hampshire  line,  was 
detached  to  the  east  side  of  the  river,  with  a  light  party,  to 
observe  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  by  climbing  forest  trees 
or  other  practicable  means,  with  orders  to  report  such  obser 
vations  as  he  might  consider  worthy  of  notice. 

"About  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  September, 
I  received  information  from  Colonel  Colburn,  that  the  enemy 
had  struck  the  chief  part  of  their  tents  on  the  plain  near  the 
river,  had  crossed  the  gulley  at  the  gorge  of  the  great  ravine, 
and  were  ascending  the  heights  in  a  direction  towards  our 
left.  On  making  this  communication  to  the  general,  he 
immediately  ordered  Colonel  Morgan  to  advance  with  his 
corps,  who  was  instructed,  should  he  find  the  enemy  ap 
proaching,  to  hang  on  their  front  and  flanks,  to  retard  their 
march,  and  cripple  them  as  much  as  possible. 

"About  half-past  twelve  o'clock,  a  report  of  small-arms 
announced  Morgan's  corps  to  be  engaged  in  front  of  our  left ; 
the  general,  with  his  suite,  was  at  this  time  examining  the 
battery  which  had  been  commenced  on  our  left ;  I  asked  leave 
to  repair  to  the  scene  of  action,  but  was  refused,  with  this 
observation,  '  ft  is  your  duty,  sir,  to  wait  my  orders.'  This 
firing  was  of  short  duration,  but  was  soon  recommenced  with 
redoubled  vigour  :  I  then  made  an  excuse  to  visit  the  picket 
on  the  left  for  intelligence,  put  spurs  to  my  horse,  and,  directed 
by  the  sound,  had  entered  the  wood  about  a  hundred  rods, 
when  the  fire  suddenly  ceased :  I,  however,  pursued  my  course, 
and  the  first  officer  I  fell  in  with  was  Major  Dearborn,  who, 
with  great  animation  and  not  a  little  warmth,  was  forming 
thirty  or  forty  file  of  his  infantry ;  I  exchanged  a  few  words  with 
him,  passed  on  and  met  Major  Morris,  alone,  who  was  never 
so  sprightly  as  under  a  hot  fire ;  from  him  I  learned  that  the 
corps  was  advancing  by  files  in  two  lines,  when  they  unex 
pectedly  fell  upon  a  picket  of  the  enemy,  which  they  almost 
instantly  forced,  and,  pursuing  the  fugitives,  their  front  had 
as  unexpectedly  fallen  in  with  the  British  line  ;  that  several 
officers  and  men  had  been  made  prisoners,  and  that,  to  save 
himself,  he  had  been  obliged  to  push  his  horse  through  the 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  377 

ranks  of  the  enemy,  and  escaped  by  a  circuitous  route.  To 
show  me  where  the  action  commenced,  he  leaped  a  fence  into 
the  abandoned  field  of  Freeman,  choked  up  with  weeds,  and 
led  me  to  the  cabin,  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  British 
picket,  but  was  then  almost  encircled  writh  dead ;  he  then 
cautioned  me  to  keep  a  look-out  for  the  enemy,  who,  he 
observed,  could  not  be  far  from  us  ;  and  as  I  never  admired 
exposition  from  which  neither  advantage  nor  honour  could  be 
derived,  I  crossed  the  angle  of  the  field,  leaped  the  fence,  and 
just  before  me,  on  a  ridge,  I  discovered  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Butler  with  three  men,  all  treed;  from  him  I  learned  that 
they  had  '-  caught  a  Scotch  prize ;'  that,  having  forced  the 
picket,  they  had  closed  with  the  British  line,  had  been 
instantly  routed,  and,  from  the  suddenness  of  the  shock  and 
the  nature  of  the  ground,  were  broken  and  scattered  in  all 
directions ;  he  repeated  Morris's  caution  to  me,  and  remarked 
that  the  enemy's  sharp-shooters  were  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  ravine,  and  that,  being  on  horseback,  I  should  attract  a 
shot.  We  changed  our  position,  and  the  Colonel  inquired 
what  were  Morgan's  orders,  and  informed  me  that  he  had 
seen  a  heavy  column  moving  towards  our  left.  I  then  turned 
about  to  regain  the  camp,  and  report  to  the  General,  when 
my  ears  were  saluted  by  an  uncommon  noise,  which  I 
approached,  and  perceived  Colonel  Morgan,  attended  by  two 
men  only,  who,  with  a  turkey-call,  (an  instrument  made  for 
decoying  the  wild  turkey,)  was  collecting  his  dispersed  troops. 
[A  very  appropriate  instrument,  if  his  men  were  treed. .]  The 
moment  I  came  up  to  him,  he  burst  into  tears,  and  exclaimed, 
'  I  am  ruined,  by  G — d !  Major  Morris  ran  on  so  rapidly 
with  the  front,  that  they  were  beaten  before  I  could  get  up 
with  the  rear,  and  my  men  are  scattered  God  knows  where.' 
I  remarked  to  the  Colonel,  that  he  had  a  long  day  before  him 
to  retrieve  an  inauspicious  beginning,  and  informed  him  where 
I  had  seen  his  field-officers,  which  appeared  to  cheer  him,  and 
we  parted. 

"  Having  reported  to  the  General,  he  ordered  out  Cilley's 
and  Scammel's  regiments  of  New  Hampshire,  to  march  and 
fall  in  on  the  left  of  Morgan,  for  which  purpose  I  gave  them 

~48~~  2o* 


378  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

the  best  direction  my  observation  on  the  ground  enabled  me 
to  do.  These  regiments  advanced  through  the  woods,  took 
ground  on  the  left  of  Morgan,  and  the  action  was  renewed 
about  one  o'clock,  and  was  supported  with  spirit,  though  sub 
ject  to  occasional  pauses,  as  the  troops  on  either  side  ad 
vanced,  retired,  and  shifted  their  ground.  Hale's  regiment 
of  New  Hampshire,  Van  Courtland's  and  Henry  Livingston's 
of  New  York,  and  Cook's  and  Latimer's  of  the  Connecticut 
militia,  were  successively  led  to  the  field,  with  orders  to  ex 
tend  to  the  left,  and  support  those  points  of  the  action  where 
they  perceived  the  greatest  pressure ;  our  right  being  secured 
by  thickets  and  ravines.  About  three  o'clock,  the  action  be 
came  general ;  and  from  that  period  until  night-fall  the  fire 
of  the  musketry  was  incessant ;  the  enemy  brought  four  field- 
pieces  into  the  engagement,  but  on  our  side  the  ground  was 
impracticable  for  artillery.  Towards  evening  General 
Learned's  whole  brigade  was  ordered  out,  consisting  of  Bai 
ley's,  Weston's,  and  Jackson's  regiments,  of  Massachusetts, 
and  James  Livingston's,  of  New  York,  together  with  Mar 
shall's  regiment  of  Patterson's  brigade,  and  the  Massachu 
setts  line.  These  troops  got  into  action  with  a  part  of  the 
British  light  corps,  which  had  kept  its  ground  to  cover  Bur- 
goyne's  right,  and  a  column  of  Germans,  whom  he  had  drawn 
from  his  left  just  about  sunset,  and  of  consequence  they  were 
but  lightly  engaged,  as  is  manifest  from  their  loss.  If  these 
columns  had  met  at  an  earlier  hour  of  the  day,  something 
decisive  must  have  taken  place,  the  ground  being  somewhat 
open  and  on  the  right  flank  of  the  enemy.  We  had  about 
3000  men  on  the  field,  and  the  enemy,  from  General  Bur- 
goyne's  account,  about  3500 ;  on  our  part,  the  stress  of  the 
action  fell  upon  Morgan's  corps  and  Poor's  brigade,  and  on 
that  of  the  enemy  it  was  chiefly  sustained  by  Hamilton's 
brigade,  consisting  of  the  20th,  21st,  and  62d  British  infantry, 
with  a  brigade  of  artillery  under  Captain  Jones,  who  was 
killed. 

"  This  battle  was  perfectly  accidental ;  neither  of  the  gene 
rals  meditated  an  attack  at  the  time,  and  but  for  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Colburn's  report,  it  would  not  have  taken  place ; 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  379 

Burgoyne's  movement  being  merely  to  take  ground  on  the 
heights  in  front  of  the  great  ravine,  to  give  his  several  corps 
their  proper  places  in  line,  to  embrace  our  front  and  cover 
his  transports,  stores,  provisions  and  baggage  in  rear  of  his 
left ;  and  on  our  side  the  defences  of  our  camp  being  not  half 
completed,  and  reinforcements  daily  arriving,  it  was  not  Ge 
neral  Gates's  policy  to  court  an  action.  The  misconception 
of  the  adverse  chief  put  them  on  the  defensive,  and  confined 
them  to  the  ground  they  casually  occupied  at  the  beginning 
of  the  action,  and  prevented  a  single  manoeuvre,  during  one 
of  the  longest,  warmest,  and  most  obstinate  battles  fought  in 
America.  General  Gates  believed  that  his  antagonist  in 
tended  to  attack  him,  and  circumstances  appeared  to  justify 
the  like  conclusion  on  the  part  of  Burgoyne ;  and  as  the 
thickness  and  depth  of  the  intervening  wood  concealed  the 
position  and  movements  of  either  army  from  its  adversary, 
sound  caution  obliged  the  respective  commanders  to  guard 
every  assailable  point ;  thus  the  flower  of  the  British  army, 
the  grenadiers  and  light  infantry,  1500  strong,  were  posted 
on  an  eminence  to  cover  its  right,  and  stood  by  their  arms 
inactive  spectators  of  the  conflict  until  near  sunset ;  wrhile 
General  Gates  was  obliged  to  keep  his  right  wing  on  post,  to 
prevent  the  enemy  from  forcing  that  flank,  by  the  plain  bor 
dering  on  the  river.  Had  either  of  the  generals  been  pro 
perly  apprized  of  the  dispositions  of  his  antagonist,  a  serious 
blow  might  have  been  struck  on  our  left  or  the  enemy's  right ; 
but,  although  nothing  is  more  common,  it  is  as  illiberal  as  it 
is  unjust,  to  determine  the  merits  of  military  operations  by 
events  exclusively. 

"  The  theatre  of  action  was  such,  that  although  the  com 
batants  changed  ground  a  dozen  times  in  the  course  of  the 
day,  the  contest  terminated  on  the  spot  where  it  began. 
This  may  be  explained  in  a  few  words.  The  British  line  was 
formed  on  an  eminence  in  a  thin  pine  wood,  having  before  it 
Freeman's  farm,  an  oblong  field  stretching  from  the  centre 
towards  its  right,  the  ground  in  front  sloping  gently  down  to 
the  verge  of  this  field,  which  was  bordered  on  the  opposite 
side  by  a  close  wood ;  the  sanguinary  scene  lay  in  the  cleared 


380  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


ground,  between  the  eminence  occupied  by  the  enemy  and 
the  wood  just  described ;  the  fire  of  our  marksmen  from  this 
wood  was  too  deadly  to  be  withstood  by  the  enemy  in  line, 
and  when  they  gave  way  and  broke,  our  men,  rushing  from 
their  covert,  pursued  them  to  the  eminence,  where,  having 
their  flanks  protected,  they  rallied,  and  charging  in  turn 
drove  us  back  into  the  wood,  from  whence  a  dreadful  fire 
would  again  force  them  to  fall  back ;  and  in  this  manner  did 
the  battle  fluctuate,  like  waves  of  a  stormy  sea,  with  alter 
nate  advantage  for  four  hours,  without  one  moment's  inter 
mission.  The  British  artillery  fell  into  our  possession  at 
every  charge,  but  we  could  neither  turn  the  pieces  upon  the 
enemy,  nor  bring  them  off;  the  wood  prevented  the  last,  and 
the  want  of  a  match  the  first,  as  the  lintstock  was  invariably 
carried  off,  and  the  rapidity  of  the  transitions  did  not  allow 
us  time  to  provide  one.  The  slaughter  of  this  brigade  of 
artillerists  was  remarkable,  the  captain  and  36  men  being 
killed  or  wounded  out  of  48.  It  was  truly  a  gallant  conflict, 
in  which  death,  by  familiarity,  lost  his  terrors,  and  certainly 
a  drawn  battle,  as  night  alone  terminated  it;  the  British 
army  keeping  its  ground  in  rear  of  the  field  of  action,  and 
our  corps,  when  they  could  no  longer  distinguish  objects, 
retiring  to  their  own  camp."  The  enemy  lost  in  killed  and 
wounded  more  than  500  men,  among  whom  was  Captain 
Jones  of  the  artillery.  The  American  loss  was  between  300 
and  400,  among  whom  were  Colonels  Adams  and  Colburn. 

After  recording  many  letters,  &c.,  Wilkinson  continues : 
"  General  Burgoyne,  having  taken  the  determination  to  wait 
the  movements  of  Sir  Henry  Clinton  against  fort  Montgo 
mery,  turned  his  attention  to  the  fortification  of  his  camp. 
The  army  of  General  Gates  was  actively  employed  in  similar 
labours,  and  the  forest  resounded  under  the  strokes  of  the 
axe.  Nevertheless  the  inaction  of  General  Burgoyne  was  so 
opposite  to  his  general  character  and  apparent  interests,  that 
although  the  most  desirable  circumstance  to  General  Gates, 
it  caused  him  some  perplexity.  It  was  believed  he  expected 
succour  from  Canada,  which  was  true ;  and  such  dispositions 
were  made  of  our  irregulars,  as  to  render  ttieir  arrival  diffi- 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  381 


ult  if  not  impracticable ;  or  he  might,  as  was  the  fact,  be 
waiting  for  co-operation  from  New  York;  and  there  was 
some  apprehension,  that  he  intended  to  transfer  his  army  to 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  by  forcing  a  passage  with  his 
batteaux,  to  turn  our  right  flank,  though  he  had  made  no 
indication  of  such  a  movement.  To  penetrate  any  design  he 
might  have  in  that  direction,  I  jcrossed  the  river  with  a  de 
tachment,  and  reconnoitred  his  left  flank  closely,  but  could 
make  no  other  discovery  than  that  he  had  thrown  up  a  tete 
de  pont.  On  my  return  to  camp,  I  fell  in  with  and  captured 
45  armed  seamen,  who  were  on  a  marauding  party  among 
the  deserted  plantations,  but  could  draw  no  other  information 
from  them  except  that  they  were  attached  to  the  batteaux. 
Our  numbers  increased  daily,  and  for  want  of  suitable  ali 
ment  our  sick  multiplied  proportionably. 

"  Pending  these  scenes  in  the  north,  the  grand  army,  under 
General  Washington  in  the  south,  had  been  obliged,  after  the 
battle  of  Brandy  wine,  to  retire  before  the  superior  force  of 
General  Sir  William  Howe;  and  the  commander-in-chief, 
feeling  sensibly  the  loss  of  Morgan's  corps,  which  he  had 
generously  detached  to  aid  the  northern  army,  made  a  pro 
visional  request  for  its  return.  The  letters  which  passed  on 
that  subject,  will  throw  some  light  on  the  situation  of  the 
respective  commanders  at  that  interesting  epoch.  The  letter 
of  General  Washington  bears  date  the  day  after  Sir  William 
Howe  crossed  the  Schuylkill. 

Camp,  near  Pottsgrove,  Sept.  24th,  1777. 

SIR,— This  army  has  not  been  able  to  oppose  General 
Howe  with  the  success  that  was  wished,  and  needs  a  rein 
forcement.  I  therefore  request,  if  you  have  been  so  fortunate 
as  to  oblige  General  Burgoyne  to  retreat  to  Ticonderoga ;  or 
if  you  have  not,  and  circumstances  will  admit,  that  you  will 
order  Colonel  Morgan  to  join  me  again  with  his  corps.  I  sent 
him  up  when  I  thought  you  materially  wanted  him,  and  if  his 
services  can  be  dispensed  with  now,  you  will  direct  him  to 
return  immediately.  You  will  perceive  I  do  not  mention  this 
by  way  of  command,  but  leave  you  to  determine  upon  it 


382  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


according  to  your  situation ;  if  they  come,  they  should  pro 
ceed  by  water  from  Albany  as  low  down  as  Peekskill :  in 
such  case  you  will  give  Colonel  Morgan  the  necessary  orders 
to  join  me  with  despatch. 

I  am,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 
Major-General  Gates. 

Camp,  Bemus'  Heights,  Oct.  5,  1777. 

SIR, — Since  the  action  of  the  19th  ultimo,  the  enemy  have 
kept  the  ground  they  occupied  the  morning  of  that  day,  and 
fortified  their  camp ;  the  advanced  sentries  of  my  pickets  are 
posted  within  a  shot  of  and  opposite  to  the  enemy's  ;  neither 
side  have  given  ground  an  inch.  In  this  situation,  your  ex 
cellency  would  not  wish  me  to  part  with  the  corps  the  army 
of  General  Burgoyne  are  most  afraid  of.  From  the  best  in 
telligence,  he  has  not  more  than  three  weeks'  provisions  in 
store ;  it  will  take  him  at  least  eight  days  to  get  back  to 
Ticonderoga  ;  so  that  in  a  fortnight  at  furthest,  he  must  de 
cide  whether  he  will  really  risk  at  infinite  disadvantage  to 
force  my  camp,  or  retreat  to  his  den :  in  either  case,  I  must 
have  the  fairest  prospect  to  be  able  to  reinforce  your  excel 
lency  in  a  more  considerable  mannei*  than  by  a  single  regi 
ment.  I  am  sorry  to  repeat  to  your  excellency  the  distress  I 
have  suffered  for  want  of  a  proper  supply  of  musket  car 
tridges  from  Springfield,  or  the  materials  to  make  them.  The 
enclosed,  from  the  commissary  of  ordnance  stores  at  Albany, 
will  convince  your  excellency  of  the  truth  of  this  assertion. 
My  anxiety  also,  on  account  of  provisions,  has  been  inex 
pressible  ;  a  greater  error  has  not  been  committed  this  war, 
than  the  changing  the  commissariat  in  the  middle  of  the  cam 
paign.  You,  sir,  must  have  your  grievances,  I  therefore  will 
not  awaken  them  by  enlarging  upon  mine. 
I  have  the  honour  to  be,  &c., 

HORATIO  GATES. 

His  Excellency  Gen.  Washington. 

"  The  weather  in  the  autumn  of  1777,  on  the  Hudson  river, 
was  charming,  and  the  time  glided  away  without  any  notable 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  383 

occurrence.  As  early  as  the  blockade  of  Boston,  I  had  ob 
served  that  beating  to  arms  frequently  produced  false  alarms, 
and  always  hurry ;  I  had  therefore  prevailed  on  the  general 
to  forbid  the  practice.  Yet  on  the  afternoon  of  the  7th  Octo- 

I  ber,  the  advanced  guard  of  the  centre  beat  to  arms ;  the 
alarm  was  repeated  throughout  the  line,  and  the  troops  re- 

|  paired  to  their  alarm-posts.  I  was  at  head-quarters  when 
this  happened,  and  with  the  approbation  of  the  General, 
mounted  my  horse  to  inquire  the  cause ;  but  on  reaching  the 

|  guard  where  the  beat  commenced,  I  could  obtain  no  other 
satisfaction,  but  that  some  person  had  reported  the  enemy  to 

I  be  advancing  against  our  left.  I  proceeded  over  open  ground, 
and,  ascending  a  gentle  acclivity  in  front  of  the  guard,  I  per 
ceived,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  line  of  our  encampment, 
several  columns  of  the  enemy,  sixty  or  seventy  rods  from  me, 
entering  a  wheat-field  which  had  not  been  cut,  and  was  sepa 
rated  from  me  by  a  small  rivulet ;  and  without  my  glass  I 
could  distinctly  mark  their  every  movement.  After  entering 
the  field,  they  displayed,  formed  the  line,  and  sat  down  in 
double  ranks  with  their  arms  between  their  legs.  Foragers 
then  proceeded  to  cut  the  wheat  or  standing  straw,  and  I 
soon  after  observed  several  officers,  mounted  on  the  top  of  a 
cabin,  from  whence  with  their  glasses  they  were  endeavour 
ing  to  reconnoitre  our  left,  which  was  concealed  from  their 
view  by  intervening  woods. 

"  Having  satisfied  myself,  after  fifteen  minutes'  attentive 
observation,  that  no  attack  was  meditated,  I  returned  and 
reported  to  the  General,  who  asked  me  what  appeared  to  be 
the  intentions  of  the  enemy.  '  They  are  foraging,  and  endea 
vouring  to  reconnoitre  your  left ;  and  I  think,  sir,  they  offer 
you  battle/  *  What  is  the  nature  of  the  ground,  and  what 
your  opinions  V  *  Their  front  is  open,  and  their  flanks  rest 
on  woods,  under  cover  of  which  they  may  be  attacked  ;  their 
right  is  skirted  by  a  lofty  height.  I  would  indulge  them.' 
*  Well,  then,  order  on  Morgan  to  begin  the  game.'  I  waited 
on  the  colonel,  whose  corps  was  formed  in  front  of  our  centre, 
and  delivered  the  order ;  he  knew  the  ground,  and  inquired 
the  position  of  the  enemy  :  they  were  formed  across  a  newly 


384  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


cultivated  field,  their  grenadiers  with  several  field-pieces  on 
the  left,  bordering  on  a  wood  and  a  small  ravine  formed  by 
the  rivulet  before  alluded  to ;  their  light  infantry  on  the  right 
covered  by  a  worm-fence  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  before  men 
tioned,  thickly  covered  with  wood  ;  their  centre  composed  of 
British  and  German  battalions.  Colonel  Morgan,  with  his 
usual  sagacity,  proposed  to  make  a  circuit  with  his  corps  by 
our  left,  and  under  cover  of  the  wood  to  gain  the  height  on 
the  right  of  the  enemy,  and  from  thence  commence  his  attack, 
so  soon  as  our  fire  should  be  opened  against  their  left ;  the 
plan  was  the  best  which  could  be  devised,  and  no  doubt 
contributed  essentially  to  the  prompt  and  decisive  victory  we 
gained. 

"  This  proposition  was  approved  by  the  General,  and  it 
was  concerted  that  time  should  be  allowed  the  Colonel  to 
make  the  proposed  circuit,  and  gain  his  station  on  the  enemy's 
right  before  the  attack  should  be  made  on  their  left ;  Poor's 
brigade  was  ordered  for  this  service,  and  the  attack  was  com- 

I  menced  in  due  season  on  the  flank  and  front  of  the  British 
grenadiers,  by  the  New  Hampshire  and  New  York  troops. 

"  True  to  his  purpose,  Morgan,  at  this  critical  moment, 
poured  down  like  a  torrent  from  the  hill,  and  attacked  the 
right  of  the  enemy  in  front  and  flank.  Dearborn,  at  the 
moment  when  the  enemy's  light  infantry  were  attempting  to 
change  front,  pressed  forward  with  ardour,  and  delivered  a 

I  close  fire  ;  then  leaped  the  fence,  shouted,  charged,  and  gal- 

I  lantly  forced  them  to  retire  in  disorder ;  yet,  headed  by  that 
intrepid  soldier,  the  Earl  of  Balcarras,  they  were  immediately 

|  rallied,  and  re-formed  behind  a  fence  in  rear  of  their  first 
position;  but  being  now  attacked  with  great  audacity  in 
front  and  flank  by  superior  numbers,  resistance  became  vain ; 

,and  the  whole  line,  commanded  by  Burgoyne  in  person,  gave 
way,  and  made  a  precipitate  and  disorderly  retreat  to  his 
camp,  leaving  2  twelve,  and  6  six-pounders  on  the  field,  with 
the  loss  of  more  than  400  officers  and  men  killed,  wounded, 
and  captured,  and  among  them  the  flower  of  his  officers,  viz., 
Brigadier-General  Frazer,  Major  Ackland,  commanding  the 
grenadiers ;  Sir  Francis  Clarke,  his  first  aid-de-camp ;  Major 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  385 


Williams,  commanding  officer  of  the  artillery ;  Captain 
Money,  deputy  quartermaster-general,  and  many  others. 
After  delivering  the  order  to  General  Poor,  and  directing  him 
to  the  point  of  attack,  I  was  peremptorily  commanded  to  re 
pair  to  the  rear,  and  order  up  Ten  Broeck's  brigade  of  York 
militia,  3000  strong ;  I  performed  this  service,  and  regained 
the  field  of  battle  at  the  moment  the  enemy  had  turned  their 
backs,  fifty-two  minutes  after  the  first  shot  was  fired.  The 
ground  which  had  been  occupied  by  the  British  grenadiers, 
presented  a  scene  of  complicated  horror  and  exultation.  In 
the  square  space  of  twelve  or  fifteen  yards,  lay  eighteen  gre 
nadiers  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  three  officers  propped  up 
against  stumps  of  trees,  two  of  them  mortally  wounded, 
bleeding,  and  almost  speechless;  what  a  spectacle  for  one 
whose  bosom  glowed  with  philanthropy ;  and  how  vehement 
the  impulse,  which  can  excite  men  of  sensibility  to  seek  such 
scenes  of  barbarism !  I  found  the  courageous  Colonel  Cilley 
a-straddle  of  a  brass  twelve-pounder,  and  exulting  in  the  cap 
ture — whilst  a  surgeon,  a  man  of  great  worth,  who  was  dress 
ing  one  of  the  officers,  raising  his  blood-besmeared  hands  in 
a  frenzy  of  patriotism,  exclaimed,  Wilkinson,  I  have  dipped  my 
hands  in  British  blood.  He  received  a  sharp  rebuke  for  his 
brutality;  arid,  with  the  troops,  I  pursued  the  hard-pressed, 
flying  enemy,  passing  over  killed  and  wounded,  until  I 
heard  one  exclaim,  '  Protect  me,  sir,  against  this  boy !' 
Turning  my  eyes,  it  was  my  fortune  to  arrest  the  purpose  of 
a  lad,  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old,  in  the  act  of  taking  aim 
at  a  wounded  officer,  who  lay  in  the  angle  of  a  worm-fence. 
Inquiring  his  rank,  he  answered,  '  I  had  the  honour  to  com 
mand  the  grenadiers ; '  of  course,  I  knew  him  to  be  Major 
Ackland,  who  had  been  brought  from  the  field  to  this  place, 
on  the  back  of  a  Captain  Shrimpton  of  his  own  corps,  under 
a  heavy  fire,  and  was  here  deposited  to  save  the  lives  of  both. 
I  dismounted,  took  him  by  the  hand,  and  expressed  hopes  that 
he  was  not  badly  wounded.  *  Not  badly/  replied  this  gallant 
officer  and  accomplished  gentleman, *  but  very  inconveniently; 
I  am  shot  through  both  legs  :  will  you,  sir,  have  the  goodness 
to  have  me  conveyed  to  your  camp  ?'  I  directed  my  servant 

49  2n 


386  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 

to  alight,  and  we  lifted  Ackland  into  his  seat,  and  ordered  him 
to  be  conducted  to  head-quarters.  I  then  proceeded  to  the 
scene  of  renewed  action,  which  embraced  Burgoyne's  right- 
flank  defence,  and  extending  to  his  left,  crossed  a  hollow, 
covered  with  wood,  about  forty  rods  to  the  entrenchments  of 
the  light  infantry :  the  roar  of  cannon  and  small-arms  at  this 
juncture  was  sublime,  between  the  enemy,  behind  their 
works,  and  our  troops,  entirely  exposed  or  partially  sheltered 
by  trees,  stumps,  or  hollows,  at  various  distances,  not  exceed 
ing  120  yards.  This  right-flank  defence  of  the  enemy,  occu 
pied  by  the  German  corps  of  Breyman,  consisted  of  a  breast 
work  of  rails,  piled  horizontally  between  perpendicular 
pickets,  driven  into  the  earth,  formed  en  potence  to  the  rest 
of  the  line,  and  extended  about  250  yards  across  an  open 
field,  and  was  covered  on  the  right  by  a  battery  of  two  guns. 
The  interval  from  the  left  to  the  British  light  infantry,  was 
committed  to  the  defence  of  the  provincial] sts,  who  occupied 
a  couple  of  log-cabins.  The  Germans  were  encamped  imme 
diately  behind  the  rail  breast-work,  and  the  ground  in  front 
of  it  declined  in  a  very  gentle  slope  for  about  120  yards, 
when  it  sunk  abruptly ;  our  troops  had  formed  a  line  under 
this  declivity,  and,  covered  breast-high,  were  warmly  engaged 
with  the  Gc ;  \ -:ns.  From  this  position,  about  sunset,  I  per 
ceived  Brig;  i  -r-General  Learned  advancing  towards  the 
enemy  with  his  brigade,  in  open  column ;  I  think  with  Colonel 
M.  Jackson's  regiment  in  front,  as  I  saw  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Brooks,  who  commanded  it,  near  the  General  when  I  rode  up 
to  him :  on  saluting  this  brave  old  soldier,  he  inquired,  '  Where 
can  I  put  in  with  most  advantage?'  I  had  particularly  ex 
amined  the  ground  between  the  left  of  the  Germans  and  the 
light  infantry,  occupied  by  the  provincialists,  from  whence  I 
had  observed  a  slack  fire ;  I  therefore  recommended  to  General 
Learned  to  incline  to  his  right,  and  attack  at  this  point :  he 
did  so  with  great  gallantry;  the  provincialists  abandoned 
their  position  and  fled ;  the  German  flank  was  by  this  means 
uncovered ;  they  were  assaulted  vigorously,  overturned  in  five 
minutes,  and  retreated  in  disorder,  leaving  their  gallant  com 
mander,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Brevman,  dead  on  the  field.  By 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  387 

dislodging  this  corps,  the  whole  British  encampment  was  laid 
open  to  us ;  but  the  extreme  darkness  of  the  night,  the  fatigue 
of  the  men,  and  the  disorder  incident  to  undisciplined  troops 
after  so  desultory  an  action,  put  it  out  of  our  power  to  im 
prove  the  advantage ;  and  in  the  course  of  the  night  General 
Burgoyne  broke  up  his  camp,  and  retired  to  his  original  posi 
tion,  which  he  had  fortified,  behind  the  great  ravine." 

We  have  omitted  Wilkinson's  remarks  on  General  Arnold, 
because  we  do  not  think  it  right  to  condemn  him  until  the 
proper  period  arrives.  We  abhor  traitors,  but  we  love  jus 
tice;  and  as  long  as  Arnold  fights  the  battles  of  America,  we 
should  at  least  give  him  credit  for  courage,  if  we  deny  him 
everything  else.  After  fighting  in  the  field  with  a  fierceness 
amounting  to  desperation,  he  rushed  like  an  ocean  wave  upon 
Burgoyne  himself,  and  drove  him  precipitately  into  his  camp. 
After  a  most  sanguinary  action,  he  entered  the  works  of  the 
enemy  with  a  few  bold  and  daring  men,  when  he  received  a 
severe  wound  in  the  same  leg  that  was  shattered  at  Quebec. 
He  was  obliged  to  retire,  but  his  party  continued  the  attack 
until  dark. 

Burgoyne,  unable  either  to  advance  or  maintain  his  present 
position,  resolved  to  attempt  to  save  his  army  by  a  retreat  to 
Saratoga,  where  he  intended  to  cross  the  river.  Leaving  his 
hospital  of  sick  and  wounded  at  the  mercy  of  the  Americans, 
who  treated  them  well,  he  commenced  his  retreat  on  the  9th, 
but  Gates  had  anticipated  him  by  detaching  a  strong  division 
of  his  army  to  take  post  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Hudson,  op 
posite  Saratoga.  He  had  also  thrown  some  militia  into  fort 
Edward,  so  that  Burgoyne  found  both  his  retreat  and  his 
provisions  cut  oflf.  After  various  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
escape  and  some  hot  skirmishing,  the  British  commander 
called  a  council  of  war  on  the  13th,  when  it  was  unanimously 
resolved  to  propose  terms  to  General  Gates.  While  the 
council  were  deliberating,  an  eighteen-pound  shot  passed  over 
their  table,  a  very  strong  and  impressive  argument  in  favour 
of  a  capitulation.  Preliminaries  being  settled,  the  British 
army,  consisting  of  5700  effective  men,  the  remains  of  an 
army  of  10,000,  surrendered  prisoners  of  war,  on  the  17th 


388  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 


of  October.  They  marched  out  of  their  camp  and  deposited 
their  arms  along  the  Hudson  near  Saratoga,  or  Schuylerville, 
on  the  low  ground,  where  a  French  fort  once  stood,  the 
remains  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen.  The  British  army  was 
supplied  with  food,  and  sent  to  Boston, 

"  But  now  Britannia's  chief,  with  proud  disdain, 

Coop'd  in  his  camp,  demands  the  field  again ; 

Back  to  their  fate  his  splendid  host  he  drew, 

Swell'd  high  their  rage,  and  led  the  charge  anew  ; 

Again  the  batteries  roar,  the  lightnings  play, 

Again  they  fall,  again  they  roll  away ; 

For  now  Columbia,  with  rebounding  might, 

Foil'd  quick  their  columns,  but  confined  the  flight : 

Her  wings,  like  fierce  tornados,  gyring  ran, 

Crush'd  their  wide  flanks,  and  gain'd  their  flying  van; 

Here  Arnold  charged ;  the  hero  storm'd  and  pour'd 

A  thousand  thunders  where  he  turn'd  his  sword ; 

No  pause,  no  parley ;  onward  far  he  fray'd, 

Dispersed  whole  squadrons  every  bound  he  made, 

Broke  through  their  rampart,  seized  their  camp  and  stores, 

And  pluck'd  the  standard  from  their  broken  towers, 

Aghast,  confounded  in  the  midway  field, 
They  drop  their  arms ;  the  banded  nations  yield. 
When  sad  Burgoyne.  in  one  disastrous  day, 
Sees  future  crowns  and  former  wreaths  decay, 
His  banners  furl'd.  his  long  battalions  wheel'd 
To  pile  their  muskets  on  the  battle-field  ; 
While  two  pacific  armies  shade  one  plain, 
The  mighty  victors  and  the  captive  train.'* 

Nothing  can  show  the  horrors  of  war  in  so  striking  a  man 
ner  as  the  recital  of  individual  sufferings.  We  sympathize 
with  the  few,  while  we  read  the  sufferings  of  the  multitude 
as  a  pleasing  tale, 

The  Baroness  de  Reidesel  and  Lady  Harriet  Ackland  fol 
lowed  their  husbands,  the  Baron  de  Reidesel  and  Major  Ack- 
iand,  officers  in  Burgoyne's  army,  through  this  difficult  and, 
to  them,  most  disastrous  campaign. 

Extract  from  the  Baroness  de  Reidesel's  Narrative. 
"As  we  had  to  march  still  further,  I  ordered  a  large  calash 
to  be  built,  capable  of  holding  my  three  children,  myself  and 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  389 


two  female  servants;  in  this  manner  we  moved  with  the 
army  in  the  midst  of  the  soldiery,  who  were  very  merry, 
singing  songs  and  panting  for  action.  We  had  to  travel 
through  almost  impassable  woods  and  a  most  picturesque  and 
beautiful  country,  which  was  abandoned  by  its  inhabitants, 
who  had  repaired  to  the  standard  of  General  Gates ;  they 
added  much  to  his  strength,  as  they  were  all  good  marksmen 
and  fitted  by  habit  for  the  species  of  warfare  the  contending 
parties  were  then  engaged  in — and  the  love  of  their  country 
inspired  them  with  more  than  ordinary  courage.  The  army 
had  shortly  to  encamp  :  I  generally  remained  about  an  hour's 
march  in  the  rear,  where  I  received  daily  visits  from  my  hus 
band  ;  the  army  was  frequently  engaged  in  small  affairs,  but 
nothing  of  importance  took  place ;  and  as  the  season  was 
getting  cold,  Major  Williams  of  the  artillery  proposed  to 
have  a  house  built  for  me  with  a  chimney,  observing  that  it 
would  not  cost  more  than  five  or  six  guineas,  and  that  the  fre 
quent  change  of  quarters  was  very  inconvenient  to  me.  It 
was  accordingly  built,  and  was  called  the  Block-house,  from 
its  square  form  and  the  resemblance  it  bore  to  those  buildings. 

"  On  the  19th  of  September,  an  affair  happened,  which, 
although  it  turned  out  to  our  advantage,  yet  obliged  us  to 
halt  at  a  place  called  Freeman's  farm ;  I  was  an  eye-witness 
to  the  whole  affair,  and  as  my  husband  was  engaged  in  it,  I 
was  full  of  anxiety,  and  trembled  at  every  shot  I  heard ;  I 
saw  a  great  number  of  the  wounded,  and  what  added  to  the 
distress  of  the  scene,  three  of  them  were  brought  into  the 
house  in  which  I  took  shelter ;  one  was  a  Major  Harnage, 
of  the  62d  British  regiment,  the  husband  of  a  lady  of  my  ac 
quaintance  ;  another  was  a  lieutenant,  married  to  a  lady  with 
whom  I  had  the  honour  to  be  on  terms  of  intimacy,  and  the 
third  was  an  officer  of  the  name  of  Young. 

"In  a  short  tirtie  afterwards  I  heard  groans  proceeding  from 
a  room  near  mine,  and  knew  they  must  have  been  occasioned 
by  the  sufferings  of  the  last-mentioned  officer,  who  lay  writh 
ing  in  his  wounds. 

"  His  mournful  situation  interested  me  much,  and  the  more 
so,  because  the  recollection  of  many  polite  attentions,  received 


390  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 


from  a  family  of  that  name  during  my  visit  to  England,  was 
still  forcibly  impressed  on  my  mind.  I  sent  to  him  and 
begged  him  to  accept  my  best  services,  and  afterwards  fur 
nished  him  with  food  and  refreshments ;  he  expressed  a  great 
desire  to  see  me,  politely  calling  me  his  benefactress.  I  ac 
cordingly  visited  him,  and  found  him  lying  on  a  little  straw, 
as  he  had  lost  his  equipage.  He  was  a  young  man,  eighteen 
or  nineteen  years  of  age,  and  really  the  beloved  nephew  of 
the  Mr.  Young,  the  head  of  the  family  I  have  mentioned,  and 
the  only  son  of  his  parents.  This  last  circumstance  was  what 
he  lamented  most ;  as  to  his  pain,  he  thought  lightly  of  it. 
He  had  lost  much  blood,  and  it  was  thought  necessary  to  am 
putate  his  leg,  but  this  he  wrould  not  consent  to,  and  of  course 
a  mortification  took  place.  I  sent  him  my  cushions  and  cov 
erings,  and  my  female  friends  sent  him  a  mattrass.  I  re 
doubled  my  attentions  to  him,  and  visited  him  every  day,  for 
which  I  received  a  thousand  \vishes  for  my  happiness.  At 
last  his  limb  was  amputated,  but  it  was  too  late,  and  he  died 
the  following  day.  As  he  lay  in  the  next  room  to  me,  and 
the  partition  wras  very  thin,  I  distinctly  heard  his  last  sigh, 
when  his  immortal  part  quitted  its  frail  tenement,  and,  I  trust, 
wringed  its  wray  to  the  mansions  of  eternal  bliss. 

"  But  severe  trials  awaited  us,  and  on  the  7th  October  our 
misfortunes  began.  I  was  at  breakfast  with  my  husband, 
and  heard  that  something  was  intended.  On  the  same  day 
I  expected  Generals  Burgoyne,  Phillips,  and  Frazer,  to  dine 
with  us.  I  saw  a  great  movement  among  the  troops ;  my 
husband  told  me  it  was  merely  a  reconnoissance,  which  gave 
me  no  concern,  as  it  often  happened.  I  walked  out  of  the 
house  and  met  several  Indians  in  their  war-dresses,  with  guns 
in  their  hands.  When  I  asked  them  where  they  were  going, 
they  cried  out,  War  I  War  !  (meaning  that  they  were  going 
to  battle.)  This  filled  me  with  apprehension,  and  I  had 
scarcely  got  home,  before  I  heard  reports  of  cannon  and  mus 
ketry,  which  grew  louder  by  degrees,  till  at  last  the  noise 
became  excessive.  About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  in 
stead  of  the  guests  whom  I  expected,  General  Frazer  was 
brought  on  a  litter,  mortally  wounded.  The  table,  which  was 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  391 


already  set,  was  instantly  removed,  and  a  bed  placed  in  its 
stead  for  the  wounded  general.  I  sat  trembling  in  a  corner; 
the  noise  grew  louder  and  the  alarm  increased  ;  the  thought 
that  my  husband  might  perhaps  be  brought  in,  wounded  in 
the  same  manner,  was  terrible  to  me,  and  distressed  me  ex 
ceedingly.  General  Frazer  said  to  the  surgeon,  (Tdl  me  if 
my  wound  is  mortal:  do  not  flatter  me.'  The  ball  had  passed 
through  his  body,  and,  unhappily  for  the  General,  he  had 
eaten  a  very  hearty  breakfast,  by  which  the  stomach  was 
distended,  and  the  ball,  as  the  surgeon  said,  had  passed 
through  it.  I  heard  him  often  exclaim,  writh  a  sigh,  '  Oh ! 
fatal  ambition  !  Poor  General  Burgoyne !  Oh  !  my  poor 
wife  !'  He  wras  asked  if  he  had  any  request  to  make,  to 
which  he  replied,  that  *  if  General  Burgoyne  would  permit  it, 
he  should  like  to  be  buried  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  on 
the  top  of  a  mountain,  in  a  redoubt  which  had  been  built 
there.'  I  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn  ;  all  the  other 
rooms  were  full  of  sick.  Towards  evening  I  saw  my  husband 
coming ;  then  I  forgot  all  my  sorrows,  and  thanked  God  that 
he  was  spared  to  me.  He  ate  in  great  haste  with  me  and  his 
aid-de-camp,  behind  the  house.  We  had  been  told  that  we 
had  the  advantage  of  the  enemy,  but  the  sorrowful  faces  I 
beheld  told  a  different  tale ;  and  before  my  husband  went 
away,  he  took  me  on  one  side,  and  said  everything  was  going 
very  bad  ;  that  I  must  keep  myself  in  readiness  to  leave  the 
place,  but  not  to  mention  it  to  any  one.  I  made  the  pretence 
that  I  would  move  the  next  morning  into  my  new  house,  and 
had  everything  packed  up  ready. 

"  Lady  Harriet  Ackland  had  a  tent  not  far  from  our  house ; 
in  this  she  slept,  and  the  rest  of  the  day  she  was  in  the  camp. 
All  of  a  sudden,  a  man  came  to  tell  her  that  her  husband  was 
mortally  wounded,  and  taken  prisoner.  On  hearing  this  she 
became  very  miserable ;  we  comforted  her,  by  telling  her  that 
the  wound  was  only  slight;  and,  at  the  same  time,  advised 
her  to  go  over  to  her  husband — to  do  which,  she  would  cer 
tainly  obtain  permission — and  then  she  could  attend  him  her 
self:  she  was  a  charming  woman,  and  very  fond  of  him.  I 
spent  much  of  the  night  in  comforting  her,  and  then  went 


392  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


again  to  my  children,  whom  I  had  put  to  bed.  I  could  not  go 
to  sleep,  as  I  had  General  Frazer,  and  all  the  other  wounded 
gentlemen  in  my  room,  and  I  was  sadly  afraid  my  children 
would  awake,  and  by  their  crying,  disturb  the  dying  man  in 
his  last  moments ;  who  often  addressed  me,  and  apologized 
'for  the  trouble  he  gave  me.'  About  three  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  I  was  told  that  he  could  not  hold  out  much  longer : 
I  had  desired  to  be  informed  of  the  near  approach  of  this  sad 
crisis ;  and  I  then  wrapped  up  my  children  in  their  clothes, 
and  went  with  them  into  the  room  below.  About  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  he  died.  After  he  was  laid  out,  and 
his  corpse  wrapped  up  in  a  sheet,  we  came  again  into  the 
room,  and  had  this  sorrowful  sight  before  us  the  whole  day ; 
and  to  add  to  the  melancholy  scene,  almost  every  moment, 
some  officer  of  my  acquaintance  was  brought  in  wounded. 
The  cannonade  commenced  again :  a  retreat  was  spoken  of, 
but  not  the  smallest  motion  was  made  towards  it.  About 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  I  saw  the  house  which  had  just 
been  built  for  me,  in  flames,  and  the  enemy  was  now  not  far 
off.  We  knew  that  General  Burgoyne  would  not  refuse  the 
last  request  of  General  Frazer  ;  though,  by  his  acceding  to  it, 
an  unnecessary  delay  was  occasioned,  by  which  the  incon 
venience  of  the  army  was  much  increased.  At  six  o'clock, 
the  corpse  was  brought  out,  and  we  saw  all  the  generals 
attend  it  to  the  mountain ;  the  chaplain,  Mr.  Brudenell,  per 
formed  the  funeral  service,  rendered  unusually  solemn  and 
awful,  from  its  being  accompanied  by  constant  peals  from  the 
enemy's  artillery.  Many  cannon-balls  flew  close  by  me ;  but 
I  had  my  eyes  directed  towards  the  mountain,  where  my 
husband  was  standing,  amidst  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  and,  of 
course,  I  could  not  think  of  my  own  danger." 

General  Gates  afterwards  said,  that  if  he  had  known  it  had 
been  a  funeral,  he  would  not  have  permitted  it  to  be  fired  on. 

"As  soon  as  the  funeral  service  was  finished,  and  the  grave 
of  General  Frazer  was  closed,  an  order  was  issued  that  the 
army  should  retreat.  My  calash  was  prepared,  but  I  would 
not  consent  to  go  before  the  troops.  Major  Harnage,  although 
suffering  from  his  wounds,  crept  from  his  bed,  as  he  did  not 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  393 


wish  to  remain  in  the  hospital,  which  was  left  with  a  flag  of 
truce.  When  General  Reidesel  saw  me  in  the  midst  of 
danger,  he  ordered  my  women  and  children  to  be  brought 
into  the  calash,  and  intimated  to  me  to  depart  without  delay. 
I  still  prayed  to  remain,  but  my  husband,  knowing  my  weak 
side,  said,  '  Well,  then  your  children  must  go,  that,  at  least, 
they  may  be  safe  from  danger.'  I  then  agreed  to  enter  the 
calash  with  them,  and  we  set  off  at  eight  o'clock. 

"  The  retreat  was  ordered  to  be  conducted  with  the  greatest 
silence ;  many  fires  were  lighted,  and  several  tents  were  left 
standing ;  we  travelled  continually  during  the  night.  At  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning  we  halted,  which  excited  the  surprise 
of  all ;  General  Burgoyne  had  the  cannon  ranged  and  counted ; 
this  delay  seemed  to  displease  every  body,  for  if  we  could 
only  have  made  another  good  march,  we  should  have  been  in 
safety.  My  husband,  quite  exhausted  with  fatigue,  came  into 
my  calash,  and  slept  for  three  hours ;  during  that  time  Cap 
tain  Willoe  brought  me  a  bag  full  of  bank-notes,  and  Captain 
Geismar  his  elegant  watch,  a  ring,  and  a  purse  full  of  money, 
which  they  requested  me  to  take  care  of,  and  which  I  pro 
mised  to  do  to  the  utmost  of  my  power.  We  again  marched, 
but  had  scarcely  proceeded  an  hour  before  we  halted,  as  the 
enemy  was  in  sight ;  it  proved  to  be  only  a  reconnoitring 
party  of  200  men,  who  might  easily  have  been  made  prisoners, 
if  General  Burgoyne  had  given  proper  orders  on  the  occasion. 

"  The  Indians  had  now  lost  their  courage  and  were  depart 
ing  for  their  homes ;  these  people  appeared  to  droop  much 
under  adversity,  and  especially  when  they  had  no  prospect  of 
plunder.  One  of  my  waiting- women  was  in  a  state  of  despair, 
which  approached  to  madness  ;  she  cursed  and  tore  her  hair, 
and,  when  I  attempted  to  reason  with  her  and  to  pacify  her, 
she  asked  me  if  I  was  not  grieved  at  our  situation ;  and  upon 
my  saying  '  I  was,'  she  tore  her  cap  off  her  head,  and  let  her 
hair  drop  over  her  face,  saying  to  me, '  It  is  very  easy  for  you 
to  be  composed  and  talk ;  you  have  your  husband  with  you ; 
I  have  none,  and  what  remains  to  me  but  the  prospect  of 
perishing  or  losing  all  I  have  ;'  I  again  bade  her  to  take  com 
fort,  and  assured  her  I  would  make  good  whatever  she  might 

50 


394  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [L777. 


happen  to  lose ;  and  I  made  the  same  promise  to  Ellen,  my 
other  waiting-woman,  who,  though  filled  with  apprehensions, 
made  no  complaints. 

"About  evening  we  arrived  at  Saratoga ;  my  dress  wras  wet 
through  and  through  with  rain,  and  in  that  state  I  had  to 
remain  the  whole  night,  having  no  place  to  change  it ;  I  how 
ever  got  close  to  a  large  fire,  and  at  last  lay  down  on  some 
straw.  At  this  moment,  General  Phillips  came  up  to  me,  and 
I  asked  him  why  we  had  not  continued  our  retreat,  as  my 
husband  had  promised  to  cover  it  and  bring  the  army  through? 
'  Poor,  dear  woman,'  said  he,  '  I  wonder  how,  drenched  as 
you  are,  you  have  the  courage  still  to  persevere  and  venture 
further  in  this  kind  of  weather ;  I  wish,'  continued  he,  '  you 
were  our  commanding  general.  General  Burgoyne  is  tired, 
and  means  to  halt  here  to-night,  and  give  us  our  supper/ 

"On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  at  ten  o'clock,  General  Burgoyne 
ordered  the  retreat  to  be  continued,  and  caused  the  handsome 
kouses  and  mills  of  General  Schuyier  to  be  burned ;  wre 
marched,  however,  but  a  short  distance,  and  then  halted. 
The  greatest  misery,  at  this  time,  prevailed  in  the  army,  and 
more  than  thirty  officers  came  to  me,  for  whom  tea  and  coffee 
was  prepared,  and  with  whom  I  shared  all  my  provisions, 
with  which  my  calash  was,  in  general,  well  supplied  :  for  I 
had  a  cook,  who  was  an  excellent  caterer,  and  who  often,  in 
I  the  night,  crossed  small  rivers  and  foraged  on  the  inhabitants, 
bringing  in  with  him  sheep,  small  pigs,  and  poultry,  for  which 
he  very  often  forgot  to  pay,  though  he  received  good  pay  from 
me,  as  long  as  I  had  any,  and  was,  ultimately,  handsomely 
rewarded.  Our  provisions  now  failed  us  for  want  of  proper 
conduct  in  the  commissary's  department,  and  I  began  to 
despair.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  wre  again  heard 
a  firing  of  cannon  and  small-arms ;  instantly  all  wras  alarm, 
and  everything  in  motion.  My  husband  told  me  to  go  to  a 
house  not  far  off;  I  immediately  seated  myself  in  my  calash, 
with  my  children,  and  drove  of£  but  scarcely  had  we  reached 
it,  before  I  discovered  five  or  six  armed  men  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Hudson;  instinctively  I  threw  my  children  dowrn  in  the 
calash,  and  then  concealed  myself  with  them ;  at  that  moment 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  395 


the  fellows  fired,  and  wounded  an  already  wounded  English 
soldier,  who  was  behind  me ;  poor  fellow,  I  pitied  him  exceed 
ingly,  but,  at  that  moment,  had  no  means  or  power  to  relieve 
him.  A  terrible  cannonade  \vas  commenced  by  the  enemy, 
\vhich  was  directed  against  the  house  in  which  I  sought  to 
obtain  shelter  for  myself  and  children,  under  the  mistaken 
idea  that  all  the  generals  were  in  it.  Alas  !  it  contained  none 
but  \vounded  and  women ;  we  were  at  last  obliged  to  resort 
to  the  cellar  for  refuge,  and,  in  one  corner  of  this,  I  remained 
the  whole  day,  my  children  sleeping  on  the  earth  with  their 
heads  in  my  lap,  and,  in  the  same  situation,  I  passed  a  sleep 
less  night.  Eleven  cannon-balls  passed  through  the  house, 
and  we  could  distinctly  hear  them  roll  awray.  One  poor 
soldier,  who  wras  lying  on  a  table,  for  the  purpose  of  having 
his  leg  amputated,  was  struck  by  a  shot,  which  carried  away 
his  other ;  his  comrades  had  left  him,  and  when  we  went  to 
his  assistance,  we  found  him  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  into 
which  he  had  crept,  more  dead  than  alive,  scarcely  breathing. 
My  reflections  on  the  danger  to  which  my  husband  wras 
exposed,  now  agonized  me  exceedingly,  and  the  thoughts  of 
my  children,  and  the  necessity  of  struggling  for  their  preser 
vation,  alone  sustained  me. 

"  The  ladies  of  the  army  who  were  with  me  were,  Mrs. 
Harnage ;  a  Mrs.  Kennels,  the  widow  of  a  lieutenant  who 
was  killed,  and  the  lady  of  the  commissary.  Major  Harnage, 
his  wife,  and  Mrs.  Kennels,  made  a  little  room  in  a  corner, 
with  curtains  to  it,  and  wished  to  do  the  same  for  me,  but  I 
preferred  being  near  the  door,  in  case  of  fire.  Not  far  off, 
my  woman  slept,  and  opposite  to  us  three  English  officers, 
who,  though  wounded,  were  determined  not  to  be  left  behind  ; 
one  of  them  was  Captain  Green,  an  aid-de-camp  to  Major- 
General  Phillips,  a  very  valuable  officer,  and  most  agreeable 
man.  They  each  made  me  a  most  sacred  promise  not  to 
leave  me  behind,  and  in  case  of  a  sudden  retreat,  that  they 
would  each  of  them  take  one  of  my  children  on  his  horse ;  and 
for  myself,  one  of  my  husband's  was  in  constant  readiness. 

"  Our  cook,  whom  I  have  before  mentioned,  procured  us 
our  meals :  but  we  were  in  want  of  water,  and  I  was  often 


396  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 

obliged  to  drink  wine,  and  to  give  it  to  my  children.  It  was 
the  only  thing  my  husband  took,  which  made  our  faithful 
hunter  (Rockel)  express  one  day  his  apprehensions,  that  the 
general  was  weary  of  his  life,  or  fearful  of  being  taken,  as  he 
drank  so  much  wine.'  The  constant  danger  which  my  hus 
band  was  in,  kept  me  in  a  state  of  wretchedness,  and  I  asked 
myself  if  it  was  possible  I  should  be  the  only  happy  one,  and 
have  my  husband  spared  to  me  unhurt,  exposed,  as  he  was,  to 
so  many  perils.  He  never  entered  his  tent,  but  laid  down 
whole  nights  by  the  watch-fires ;  this,  alone,  was  enough  to 
have  killed  him,  the  cold  was  so  intense. 

"  The  want  of  water  distressed  us  much ;  at  length  we 
found  a  soldier's  wife,  who  had  courage  enough  to  fetch  us 
some  from  the  river ;  an  office  nobody  else  would  undertake, 
as  the  Americans  shot  at  every  person  who  approached  it ; 
but,  out  of  respect  for  her  sex,  they  never  molested  her. 

"  I  now  occupied  myself  through  the  day,  in  attending  the 
wounded :  I  made  them  tea  and  coffee,  and  often  shared  my 
dinner  with  them,  for  which  they  offered  me  a  thousand  ex 
pressions  of  gratitude.  One  day,  a  Canadian  officer  came  to 
our  cellar,  who  had  scarcely  the  power  of  holding  himself 
upright,  and  we  concluded  that  he  was  dying  for  want  of 
nourishment ;  I  was  happy  in  offering  him  my  dinner,  which 
strengthened  him,  and  procured  me  his  friendship.  I  now 
undertook  the  care  of  Major  Bloomfield,  another  aid-de-camp 
of  General  Phillips ;  he  had  received  a  musket-ball  through 
both  cheeks,  which  in  its  course  had  knocked  out  several  of 
his  teeth,  and  cut  his  tongue ;  he  could  hold  nothing  in  his 
mouth  ;  the  matter  which  ran  from  his  wound  almost  choked 
him,  and  he  was  not  able  to  take  any  nourishment  except  a 
little  soup,  or  something  liquid ;  we  had  some  Rhenish  wine, 
and  in  the  hope  that  the  acidity  of  it  would  cleanse  his 
wound,  I  gave  him  a  bottle  of  it ;  he  took  a  little  now  and 
then,  and  with  such  effect,  that  his  cure  soon  followed ;  thus 
I  added  another  to  my  stock  of  friends,  and  derived  a  satis 
faction,  which,  in  the  midst  of  sufferings,  served  to  tranquil 
lize  me  and  diminish  their  acuteness. 

"  One  day  General  Phillips  accompanied  my  husband,  at 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  397 

the  risk  of  their  lives,  on  a  visit  to  us,  who,  after  having  wit 
nessed  our  situation,  said  to  him,  '  I  would  not  for  ten  thou 
sand  guineas  come  again  to  this  place :  my  heart  is  almost 
broken.' 

"  In  this  horrid  situation  we  remained  six  days  :  a  cessation 
of  hostilities  was  now  spoken  of,  and  eventually  took  place ; 
a  convention  was  afterwards  agreed  upon;  but  one  day  a 
message  was  sent  to  my  husband,  who  had  visited  me  and 
was  reposing  in  my  bed,  to  attend  a  council  of  war,  where 
it  was  proposed  to  break  the  convention,  but,  to  my  great 
joy,  the  majority  was  for  adhering  to  it ;  on  the  16th,  how 
ever,  my  husband  had  to  repair  to  his  post  and  I  to  my  cel 
lar  ;  this  day  fresh  beef  was  served  out  to  the  officers,  who, 
until  now,  had  only  salt  provisions,  which  was  very  bad  for 
their  wounds.  The  good  woman  who  brought  us  water, 
made  us  an  excellent  soup  of  the  meat,  but  I  had  lost  my 
appetite,  and  took  nothing  but  crusts  of  bread  dipped  in  wine. 
The  wounded  officers  (my  unfortunate  companions)  cut  off 
the  best  bit  and  presented  it  to  me  on  a  plate ;  I  declined  eat 
ing  anything,  but  they  contended  that  it  was  necessary  for 
me  to  take  nourishment,  and  declared  they  would  not  touch 
a  morsel,  until  I  afforded  them  the  pleasure  of  seeing  me 
partake ;  I  could  no  longer  withstand  their  pressing  invita 
tions,  accompanied  as  they  were  by  assurances  of  the  hap 
piness  they  had  in  offering  me  the  first  good  thing  they  had 
in  their  power,  and  I  partook  of  a  repast  rendered  palatable 
by  the  kindness  and  good  will  of  my  fellow-sufferers,  forget 
ting  for  the  moment  the  misery  of  our  apartment  and  the 
absence  of  almost  every  comfort. 

"  On  the  17th  of  October  the  convention  was  completed. 
General  Burgoyne  and  the  other  generals  waited  on  the  Ame 
rican  general  (Gates) ;  the  troops  laid  down  their  arms,  and 
gave  themselves  up  prisoners  of  war  !  and  now  the  good  wo 
man  who  had  supplied  us  with  water  at  the  hazard  of  her 
life,  received  the  reward  of  her  services ;  each  of  us  threw 
a  handful  of  money  into  her  apron,  and  she  got  altogether 
about  twenty  guineas.  At  such  a  moment  as  this,  how  suscep 
tible  is  the  heart  of  feelings  of  gratitude ! 

2 1 


398  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


"  My  husband  sent  a  message  to  me  to  come  over  to  him 
with  my  children.  I  seated  myself  once  more  in  my  dear 
calash,  and  then  rode  through  the  American  camp.  As  I 
passed  on,  I  observed  (and  this  was  a  great  consolation  to 
me)  that  no  one  eyed  me  with  looks  of  resentment,  but  that 
they  all  greeted  us,  and  even  showed  compassion  in  their 
countenances,  at  the  sight  of  a  woman  with  small  children. 
I  was,  I  confess,  afraid  to  go  over  to  the  enemy,  as  it  was  quite 
a  new  situation  to  me.  When  I  drew  near  the  tents,  a  hand 
some  man  approached  and  met  me,  took  my  children  from  the 
calash,  and  hugged  and  kissed  them,  which  affected  me  almost 
to  tears.  '  You  tremble,'  said  he,  addressing  himself  to  me, 
'  be  not  afraid.'  *  No,'  I  answered,  '  you  seem  so  kind  and 
tender  to  my  children,  it  inspires  me  with  courage.'  He  now 
led  me  to  the  tent  of  General  Gates,  where  I  found  Generals 
Burgoyne  and  Phillips,  who  were  on  a  friendly  footing  with 
the  former.  Burgoyne  said  to  me,  '  Never  mind,  your  sor 
rows  have  now  an  end.'  I  answered  him  that  I  should  be 
reprehensible  to  have  any  cares,  as  he  had  none ;  and  I  was 
pleased  to  see  him  on  such  a  friendly  footing  with  General 
Gates.  All  the  generals  remained  to  dine  with  General  Gates. 

"  The  same  gentleman  who  received  me  so  kindly,  now  came 
and  said  to  me, '  You  will  be  very  much  embarrassed  to  eat 
with  all  these  gentlemen ;  come  with  your  children  to  my  tent, 
where  I  will  prepare  for  you  a  frugal  dinner,  and  give  it  with 
a  free  will.9  I  said,  '  You  ARE  CERTAINLY  A  HUSBAND  AND  A 
FATHER,  you  have  shown  me  so  much  kindness.'  I  now  found 
that  he  was  GENERAL  SCHUYLER.  He  treated  me  with  excel 
lent  smoked  tongue,  beef-steaks,  potatoes,  and  good  bread 
and  butter  !  Never  could  I  have  wished  to  eat  a  better  din 
ner  :  I  was  content :  I  saw  all  around  me  were  so  likewise ; 
and  what  was  better  than  all,  my  husband  was  out  of  dan 
ger  !  When  we  had  dined,  he  told  me  his  residence  was  at 
Albany,  and  that  General  Burgoyne  intended  to  honour  him 
as  his  guest,  and  invited  myself  and  children  to  do  so  like 
wise.  I  asked  my  husband  how  I  should  act ;  he  told  me  to 
accept  the  invitation.  As  it  was  two  days'  journey  there, 
he  advised  me  to  go  to  a  place  which  was  about  three  hours' 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  399 

ride  distant.  General  Schuyler  had  the  politeness  to  send 
with  me  a  French  officer,  a  very  agreeable  man,  who  com 
manded  the  reconnoitring  party  of  which  I  have  before 
spoken ;  and  when  he  had  escorted  me  to  the  house  where  I 
was  to  remain,  he  turned  back  again.  In  the  house  I  found 
a  French  surgeon,  who  had  under  his  care  a  Brunswick  offi 
cer  who  was  mortally  wounded,  and  died  some  days  after 
wards.  The  Frenchman  boasted  much  of  the  care  he  took 
of  his  patient,  and  perhaps  was  skilful  enough  as  a  surgeon, 
but  otherwise  was  a  mere  simpleton :  he  was  rejoiced  when 
he  found  out  I  could  speak  his  language,  and  began  to  address 
many  empty  and  impertinent  speeches  to  me ;  said,  among 
other  things,  he  could  not  believe  that  I  was  a  general's  wife, 
as  he  was  certain  a  woman  of  such  rank  would  not  follow 
her  husband ;  he  wished  me  to  remain  with  him,  as  he  said 
it  wras  better  to  be  with  the  conquerors  than  the  conquered. 
I  was  shocked  at  his  impudence ;  but  dared  not  show  the 
contempt  and  disdain  I  felt  for  him,  because  it  would  deprive 
me  of  a  place  of  safety !  Towards  evening  he  begged  me  to 
take  a  part  of  his  chamber :  I  told  him  I  was  determined  to 
remain  in  the  room  with  the  wounded  officers ;  whereupon 
he  attempted  to  pay  me  some  stupid  compliments.  At  this 
moment  the  door  opened,  and  my  husband  with  his  aid-de-camp 
entered.  I  then  said,  *  Here,  sir,  is  my  husband ;'  and  at  the 
same  time  eyed  him  with  scorn,  whereupon  he  retired  abashed ; 
nevertheless  he  was  so  polite  as  to  offer  his  chamber  to  us. 

"  Some  days  after  this,  we  arrived  at  Albany,  where  we  so 
often  wished  ourselves ;  but  we  did  not  enter  it  as  we  expected 
we  should — victors  !  We  were  received  by  the  good  General 
Schuyler,  his  wife  and  daughters,  not  as  enemies,  but  kind 
friends,  and  they  treated  us  with  the  most  marked  attention 
and  politeness,  as  they  did  General  Burgoyne,  who  had 
caused  General  Schuyler's  beautifully  finished  house  to  be 
burned ;  in  fact,  they  behaved  like  persons  of  exalted  minds, 
who  determined  to  bury  all  recollection  of  their  own  injuries 
in  the  contemplation  of  our  misfortunes.  General  Burgoyne 
was  struck  with  General  Schuyler's  generosity,  and  said  to 
him,  '  You  show  me  great  kindness,  although  1  have  done  you 


400  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1777. 


much  injury.'  '  That  was  the  fate  of  war,'  replied  the  brave 
man,  'let  us  say  no  more  about  it.'  " — Wilkinson's  Memoirs. 

But  we  must  not  forget  Lady  Harriet  Ackland.  This  lady, 
says  General  Burgoyne,  in  his  "  State  of  the  Expedition  from 
Canada,"  had  accompanied  her  husband  to  Canada,  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1776.  In  the  course  of  that  campaign, 
she  traversed  a  vast  space  of  country,  in  different  extremities 
of  the  season,  and  with  difficulties  of  which  a  European  tra 
veller  cannot  easily  conceive. 

In  the  opening  of  the  campaign  of  1777,  she  was  re 
strained  from  offering  herself  to  a  share  of  the  fatigue  and 
hazard  expected  before  Ticonderoga,  by  the  positive  injunc 
tions  of  her  husband.  The  day  after  the  conquest  of  the 
place,  he  was  badly  wounded,  and  she  crossed  lake  Champlain 
to  join  him. 

As  soon  as  he  recovered,  Lady  Harriet  proceeded  to 
follow  his  fortunes  through  the  campaign;  and  at  fort  Ed 
ward,  or  at  the  next  camp,  she  acquired  a  two-wheeled  tum 
bril,  which  had  been  constructed  by  the  artificers  of  the 
artillery,  something  similar  to  the  carriage  used  for  the  mail, 
upon  the  great  roads  in  England.  Major  Ackland  commanded 
the  British  grenadiers,  which  were  attached  to  General 
Frazer's  corps ;  and,  consequently,  were  always  the  most  ad 
vanced  part  of  the  army.  They  were  often  so  much  on  the 
alert,  that  no  person  slept  out  of  his  clothes.  One  of  their 
temporary  encampments,  a  tent  in  which  the  major  and  Lady 
Harriet  were  asleep,  suddenly  took  fire.  An  orderly  sergeant 
of  grenadiers,  with  great  hazard  of  suffocation,  dragged  out 
the  first  person  he  caught  hold  of.  It  proved  to  be  the  major. 
It  happened  that,  in  the  same  instant,  she  had,  unknowing 
what  she  did,  and,  perhaps,  not  perfectly  awaked,  providen 
tially  made  her  escape,  by  creeping  under  the  walls  of  the 
tent.  The  first  object  she  saw,  upon  the  recovery  of  her 
senses,  was  the  major  on  the  other  side ;  and,  in  the  same  in 
stant,  again  in  the  fire  in  search  of  her.  The  sergeant  again 
saved  him,  but  not  without  the  major's  being  very  severely 
burned  in  his  face,  and  different  parts  of  his  body.  Every 
thing  they  had  with  them  in  the  tent  was  consumed. 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  401 

This  accident  happened  a  little  time  before  the  army 
crossed  the  Hudson,  the  13th  of  September.  It  neither  altered 
the  resolution  nor  cheerfulness  of  Lady  Harriet,  and  she  con 
tinued  her  progress,  a  partaker  of  the  fatigues  of  the  advanced 
corps.  The  next  call  upon  her  fortitude  was  of  a  different 
nature,  and  more  distressing,  as  of  longer  suspense.  On  the 
morning  of  the  19th  of  September,  the  grenadiers  being  liable 
to  action  at  every  step,  she  had  been  directed  by  the  Major 
to  follow  the  route  of  the  artillery  and  baggage,  which  were 
not  exposed.  At  the  time  the  action  began,  she  found  herself 
near  an  uninhabited  hut,  where  she  alighted.  When  it  was 
found  the  action  was  becoming  general,  the  surgeon  of  the 
hospital  took  possession  of  the  same  place,  as  the  most  conve 
nient  for  the  first  care  of  the  wounded.  Thus  was  this  lady 
in  the  hearing  of  one  continued  fire  of  cannon  and  musketry, 
for  four  hours,  together  with  the  presumption,  from  the  post 
of  her  husband,  at  the  head  of  the  grenadiers,  that  he  was  in 
the  most  exposed  part  of  the  action.  She  had  three  female 
companions ;  the  Baroness  of  Reidesel,  and  the  wives  of  two 
British  officers,  Major  Harnage,  and  Lieutenant  Reynell ;  but 
in  the  event,  their  presence  served  but  little  for  comfort. 
Major  Harnage  was  soon  brought  to  the  surgeon,  very  badly 
wounded ;  and,  a  little  time  after,  came  the  intelligence  that 
Lieutenant  Reynell  was  shot  dead.  Imagination  will  want 
no  help  to  figure  the  state  of  the  whole  group. 

From  the  date  of  that  action  to  the  7th  of  October,  Lady 
Harriet,  with  her  usual  serenity,  stood  prepared  for  new 
trials ;  and  it  was  her  lot  that  their  severity  increased  with 
their  number.  She  was  again  exposed  to  the  hearing  of  the 
whole  action,  and  at  last  received  the  news  of  her  individual 
misfortune,  mixed  with  the  intelligence  of  the  general  cala 
mity  ;  the  troops  were  defeated,  and  Major  Ackland,  despe 
rately  wounded,  was  a  prisoner. 

The  day  of  the  8th  was  passed  by  Lady  Harriet  and  her 
companions  in  uncommon  anxiety;  not  a  tent  nor  a  shed 
being  standing,  except  what  belonged  to  the  hospital,  their 
refuge  was  among  the  wounded  and  the  dying. 

"  When  the  army  was  upon  the  point  of  moving,"   says 

51  2r* 


402  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777. 


Burgpyne,  "  I  received  a  message  from  Lady  Harriet,  sub 
mitting  to  my  decision  a  proposal,  and  expressing  an  earnest 
solicitude  to  execute  it,  if  not  interfering  with  my  designs,  of 
passing  to  the  camp  of  the  enemy,  and  requesting  General 
Gates' s  permission  to  attend  her  husband. 

"  Though  I  was  ready  to  believe,  for  I  had  experienced, 
that  patience  and  fortitude,  in  a  supreme  degree,  were  to  be 
found,  as  well  as  every  other  virtue,  under  the  most  tender 
forms,  I  was  astonished  at  the  proposal.  After  so  long  an 
agitation,  exhausted,  not  only  from  want  of  rest,  but  absolutely 
from  want  ot  ux>d,  drenched  in  rain  for  twelve  hours  together, 
that  a  woman  should  be  capable  of  such  an  undertaking  as 
delivering  herself  to  the  enemy,  probably  in  the  night,  and 
uncertain  of  what  hand  she  might  first  fall  into,  appeared  an 
effort  above  human  nature.  The  assurance  I  was  enabled  to 
give  was  small  indeed.  I  had  not  even  a  cup  of  wine  to  offer; 
but  I  was  told  she  found,  from  some  kind  and  fortunate  hand, 
a  little  rurn  and  dirty  water.  All  I  could  furnish  to  her  was 
an  open  boat,  and  a  few  lines,  written  upon  dirty  and  wet 
paper,  to  General  Gates,  recommending  her  to  his  protection/' 

Oct.  9, 1777. 

SIR, — Ladv  Harriet  Ackland,  a  lady  of  the  first  distinction 
by  family,  ra  and  personal  virtues,  is  under  such  concern 
on  account  01  Major  Ackland,  her  husband,  wounded  and  a 
prisoner  in  your  hands,  that  I  cannot  refuse  her  request  to 
commit  her  to  your  protection. 

Whatever  general  impropriety  there  may  be  in  persons, 
acting  in  your  situation  or  mine,  to  solicit  favours,  I  cannot 
see  the  uncommon  pre-eminence  in  every  female  grace  and 
exaltation  of  character  in  this  lady,  and  her  very  hard  for 
tune,  without  testifying  that  your  attentions  to  her  will  lay 
me  under  obligations. 

I  am,  Sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

M.  G.  Gates.  J.  BIIRGOYNE. 

With  this  letter  did  this  woman,  who  was  of  the  most 
tender  and  delicate  frame,  habituated  to  all  the  soft  elegan 
cies  and  refined  enjoyments  that  attend  high  birth  and  for- 


1777.]  REVOLUTION.  403 


tune,  and  far  advanced  in  a  state  in  which  the  tenderest 
cares,  always  due  to  the  sex,  become  indispensably  necessary, 
in  an  open  boat  leave  the  camp  of  Burgoyne  with  a  flag  of 
truce  for  that  of  the  enemy.  The  night  was  advanced  before 
the  boat  reached  the  shore.  Lady  Harriet  was  immediately 
conveyed  into  the  apartment  of  Major  Henry  Dearborn,  since 
Major-General,  who  commanded  the  guard  at  that  place,  and 
every  attention  was  paid  her  which  her  rank  and  situation 
demanded,  and  which  circumstances  permitted.  Early  in 
the  morning,  she  was  permitted  to  proceed  in  the  boat  to  the 
camp,  where  General  Gates,  whose  gallantry  will  not  be  de 
nied,  stood  ready  to  receive  her  with  due  respect  and  cour 
tesy.  Having  ascertained  that  Major  Ackland  had  set  out 
for  Albany,  Lady  Harriet  proceeded,  by  permission,  to  join 
him.  Some  time  after,  Major  Ackland  effected  his  exchange, 
and  returned  to  England.  The  catastrophe  of  this  tale  is 
affecting.  Ackland,  after  his  return  to  England,  procured  a 
regiment,  and  at  a  dinner  of  military  men,  where  the  cour 
age  of  the  Americans  was  made  a  question,  took  the  negative 
side  with  his  usual  decision.  He  was  opposed,  warmth  en 
sued,  and  he  gave  the  lie  direct  to  a  Lieutenant  Lloyd,  fought 
him,  and  was  shot  through  the  head.  Lady  Harriet  lost  her 
senses,  and  continued  deranged  two  years,  after  which  she 
married  Mr.  Brudenell,  who  accompanied  her  from  General 
Burgoyne's  camp,  when  she  sought  her  wounded  husband  on 
Hudson  river. 

Sir  Henry  Clinton  had  embarked  at  New  York  about  the 
beginning  of  October,  to  proceed  up  the  Hudson,  for  the 
relief  of  and  co-operation  with  Burgoyne.  After  taking  seve 
ral  forts,  burning  villages,  as  usual,  and  committing  other 
depredations,  the  British,  hearing  of  the  fate  of  their  army 
of  the  north,  and  that  Gates  was  inarching  upon  them, 
returned  with  singular  rapidity  to  New  York. 

Gates,  after  the  victory,  despatched  Wilkinson  to  carry  the 
happy  tidings  to  Congress.  On  being  introduced  into  the 
hall,  he  said :  "  The  whole  British  army  has  laid  down  arms 
at  Saratoga ;  our  own,  full  of  vigour  and  courage,  expect  your 
orders ;  it  is  for  your  wisdom  to  decide  where  the  country 


404  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


may  still  have  need  of  their  services."  Congress  voted  thanks 
to  Gates  and  the  army,  and  presented  him  with  a  splendid 
gold  medal,  struck  to  commemorate  this  great  victory. 

A  delirium  of  joy  spread  over  the  country.  The  people 
now  looked  forward  with  confidence  for  France  to  acknow 
ledge  our  independence,  and  form  a  treaty  of  alliance.  Com 
missioners  from  Congress  had  resided  at  the  court  of  France 
for  more  than  a  year,  urging  the  consummation  so  devoutly 
to  be  wished.  On  the  6th  of  February,  1778,  the  treaty  was 
signed — "  neither  of  the  contracting  powers  to  make  war  or 
peace  without  the  formal  consent  of  the  other." 

Now  let  every  one  imagine  just  as  much  shouting  at  every 
city,  town,  village,  and  country-place,  when  these  glorious 
news  arrive,  as  is  consistent  with  his  own  taste ;  let  him  lis 
ten  to  the  glowing  patriot  speeches,  made  upon  the  occasion, 
|  and  mark  the  thrilling  effects  of  them ;  let  him  rejoice  in  the 
irradiated  countenances  of  men,  women  and  children,  whose 
hearts  are  beating  with  rapture ;  I  say,  let  him  do  all  this, 
for  really  we  have  no  space  left  to  describe  effects,  but  merely 
the  causes  which  produced  them.  Finding  an  opening  here, 
we  make  a  happy  escape  from  this  long  campaign  into 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Dangerous  Situation  of  the  British  Army  at  Philadelphia — Attack  on  Fort& 
Mifflin  and  Mercer  —  British  repulsed  —  Death  of  Count  Donop  —  Forts  again 
attacked  by  Water  and  taken — Sufferings  of  the  Americans  at  Valley  Forge — 
Desertion  of  Part  of  the  Americans — Plot  formed  to  supersede  Washington — Its 
Failure — Letter  of  Washington  to  Governor  Morris,  on  Foreign  Influence. 

"Auribus  teneo  lupum." — Terence, 

THAT  is,  I  hold  a  wolf  by  the  ears.  Dangerous  to  retain 
or  to  quit  my  hold.  This  was  Howe's  situation  while  hold 
ing  Philadelphia. 

It  has  been  stated  in  a  preceding  chapter  that  the  British 
had  succeeded  in  removing  one  barrier  in  the  Delaware,  but 
it  required  the  most  desperate  efforts  to  remove  other  obsta 
cles  before  Howe's  army  could  be  supplied  with  provisions. 


1777-8.]  REVOLUTION.  405 


A  strong  detachment,  sent  against  fort  Mifflin  and  fort  Mer 
cer,  on  the  Delaware — the  one  commanded  by  Colonel  Smith, 
the  other  by  Colonel  Greene — was  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  400 
or  500  men,  among  whom  was  Colonel  Donop,  their  com 
mander,  who  was  mortally  wounded  and  taken  prisoner. 
The  vanquished  retreated  to  Philadelphia.  An  unsuccessful 
attack  was  also  made  by  water.  But  considering  the  import 
ance  of  success,  very  extensive  operations  were  commenced 
and  carried  on  vigorously,  when  the  Americans,  after  a  fierce 
struggle,  were  obliged  to  abandon  their  forts.  They  de 
stroyed  their  shipping,  amounting  to  seventeen  of  different 
kinds,  including  two  floating  batteries  and  four  fire-ships. 
Several  ships  had  escaped  up  the  river  in  the  night. 

At  the  end  of  the  campaign  of  1777,  Washington  retired  to 
Valley  Forge,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill,  about  twenty 
miles  from  Philadelphia,  where  he  concluded  to  establish  his 
winter-quarters.  On  their  march  to  Valley  Forge,  the  sol 
diers,  being  ill  clothed,  suffered  indescribable  hardships  from 
the  severity  of  the  weather.  Some  dropped  dead  with  the 
cold ;  others,  without  shoes,  left  tracks  of  blood  upon  the  ice, 
which  cut  their  feet.  In  this  deplorable  condition  they 
required  something  more  than  mere  tents  to  shelter  them 
from  the  inclement  season;  and  when  they  reached  their 
place  of  destination,  they  commenced  the  construction  of  a 
sufficient  number  of  log-huts,  and  finished  them  with  mortar. 
Into  these  they  crept,  while  cold  and  chilling  blasts  howled 
fiercely  around  them,  and  piles  of  drifted  snow  raised  their 
summits  proudly  above  their  little  habitations.  Here  they 
ponder  deeply  upon  their  country's  wrongs,  and  their  own 
sufferings  and  privations.  Their  thoughts  go  back  to  the 
quiet,  peaceful,  and  happy  scenes  of  7/ome,  and  these  reflec 
tions  make  them  almost  frantic.  Before  this,  their  minds 
were  employed  with  the  campaign ;  but  now  they  have  time 
to  think  of  parents.,  brothers  and  sisters,  or  wives  and  chil 
dren. — Are  they  well — are  they  sheltered  from  the  winter — 
are  their  wants  supplied — are  they  not  now  pronouncing  our 
names  in  the  agony  of  despair  ?  These  are  feelings  that  sink 
deep  into  the  soul,  and  draw  tears  from  the  eyes  of  the  stern 


406  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1777-8. 

warrior,  who  would  not  yield  to  mortal  man,  while  in  the 
defence  of  his  own  dear  native  home.  And  these  were  our 
fathers,  who  first  opened  the  forest  to  the  genial  rays  of  the 
sun.  and  then  hallowed  the  soil  with  freedom,  dearly  pur 
chased  with  their  toil,  their  treasure  and  their  blood.  May 
their  souls  rest  in  peace ! 

While  the  army  of  Washington  was  suffering  not  only  from 
want  of  clothes  and  blankets,  but  actually  from  hunger,  "  a 
certain  number,  seduced  by  the  royalists,  deserted  their 
colours  and  slunk  off  to  the  British  army  in  Philadelphia; 
but  these  were  mostly  Europeans,  who  had  entered  the  con 
tinental  service.  The  true-born  Americans,  supported  by 
their  patriotism,  as  well  as  by  their  love  and  veneration  for 
the  commander-in-chief,  manifested  an  unshaken  persever 
ance  ;  they  chose  rather  to  suffer  all  the  extremes  of  famine 
and  of  frost,  than  to  violate,  in  this  perilous  hour,  the  faith 
they  had  pledged  to  their  country." — Botta. 

About  the  same  time  a  plot  was  formed  to  supersede  the 
commander-in-chief.  "As  for  us,  that  respect  for  truth  wrhich 
ought  to  be  our  only  guide,  compels  us  to  declare  that  the  lead 
ers  of  this  combination,  very  little  concerned  for  the  public 
good,  were  immoderately  so  for  their  own,  and  that  the  aim 
of  all  their  efforts  wras,  to  advance  themselves  and  their 
friends  at  the  expense  of  others.  Among  them,  and  of  the 
first  rank,  was  General  Conway,  one  of  the  most  wily  and 
restless  intriguers  that  passed  in  those  times  from  Europe 
into  America.  Declaiming  and  vociferating,  incessantly  be 
sieging  all  the  members  of  Congress  with  his  complaints  ;  he 
pretended  that  there  existed  no  sort  of  discipline  in  the  Ame 
rican  army ;  that  there  were  no  two  regiments  wrhich  ma 
noeuvred  alike,  and  not  two  officers  in  any  regiment  who 
could  execute  or  command  the  military  exercises ;  in  a  word, 
he  had  said  and  done  so  much,  that  the  Congress  appointed 
him  inspector  and  major-general.  This  appointment  excited 
loud  murmurs  in  the  camp,  and  the  brigadier-generals  remon 
strated.  But  this  man,  bent  on  attaining  his  purpose,  and 
whose  audacity  knew  no  bounds,  openly  spoke  of  the  com 
mander-in-chief  in  the  most  derogatory  terms;  and,  as  it 


1777-8.]  REVOLUTION.  407 

always  happens  in  times  of  adversity,  he  readily  found  those 
who  believed  them."  This  plot  of  foreign  officers,  of  whom 
Gates  himself  was  probably  not  guiltless,  opened  the  eyes  of 
Congress  as  to  the  motives  by  which  most  of  these  men  were 
actuated ;  and  they  sustained  WASHINGTON.  And  so  did  the 
people,  who  threatened  vengeance  to  Conway  and  others. 
As  every  American  must  feel  a  pride  to  know  that  his  coun 
trymen  suffered  for  American  freedom,  while  foreigners,  with 
a  few  exceptions,  were  governed  by  different  motives,  we 
give  a  letter  from  Washington  to  Governor  Morris,  written 
some  time  after  the  period  of  which  we  are  speaking,  in 
which  the  dangerous  influence  of  foreigners  is  powerfully  set 
forth,  by  a  man  whose  station  and  abilities  amply  qualified 
him  to  form  a  correct  opinion  of  affairs  relating  to  the  army. 

White  Plains,  24th  July,  1778. 

j  DEAR  SIR, — Whether  you  are  indebted  to  me,  or  I  to  you, 
for  a  letter,  I  know  not,  nor  is  it  a  matter  of  much  moment. 
The  design  of  this  is  to  touch,  cursorily,  upon  the  subject  of 
very  great  importance  to  the  well-being  of  these  states ;  much 
more  so  than  will  appear  at  first  view.  I  mean  the  appoint 
ment  of  so  many  foreigners  to  offices  of  high  rank  and  trust  in 
our  service. 

The  lavish  manner  in  which  rank  has  hitherto  been  bestowed 
on  these  gentlemen,  will  certainly  be  productive  of  one  or 

I  the  other  of  these  two  evils : — either  to  make  it  despicable  in 
the  eyes  of  Europe,  or  become  a  means  of  pouring  them  in 
upon  us  like  a  torrent,  and  adding  to  our  present  burden. 
But  it  is  neither  the  expense  nor  trouble  of  them  that  I  most 
dread.  There  is  an  evil  more  extensive  in  its  nature,  and 
fatal  in  its  consequences,  to  be  apprehended,  and  that  is,  the 
driving  of  all  our  own  officers  out  of  the  service,  and  throwing, 
not  only  our  army,  but  our  military  councils,  entirely  into  the 
hands  of  foreigners. 

The  officers,  my  dear  sir,  on  whom  you  must  depend  for 
the  defence  of  this  cause,  distinguished  by  length  of  service, 
their  connections,  property,  and,  in  behalf  of  many,  I  may 
add,  military  merit,  will  not  submit  much,  if  any  longer,  to 


408  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1777. 


the  unnatural  promotion  of  men  over  them,  who  have  nothing 
more  than  a  little  plausibility,  unbounded  pride  and  ambition, 
and  a  perseverance  in  application  not  to  be  resisted,  but  by 
uncommon  firmness,  to  support  their  pretensions ;  men  who, 
in  the  first  instance,  tell  you  they  wish  for  nothing  more  than 
the  honour  of  serving  in  so  glorious  a  cause  as  volunteers ; 
the  next  day  solicit  rank  without  pay;  the  day  following 
want  money  advanced  to  them ;  and,  in  the  course  of  a  week, 
want  further  promotion,  and  are  not  satisfied  with  any  thing 
you  can  do  for  them. 

When  I  speak  of  officers  not  submitting  to  these  appoint 
ments,  let  me  be  understood  to  mean,  that  they  have  no  more 
doubt  of  their  right  to  resign,  when  they  think  themselves 
aggrieved,  than  they  have  of  a  power  in  Congress  to  appoint. 
Both  being  granted,  then,  the  expediency  and  the  policy  of 
the  measure  remain  to  be  considered,  and  whether  it  is  jus 
tice  or  prudence  to  promote  these  military  fortune-hunters,  at 
the  hazard  of  your  army.  They  may  be  divided  into  three 
classes ;  namely,  mere  adventurers  without  recommendations, 
or  recommended  by  persons  who  do  not  know  how  else  to 
dispose  of  or  provide  for  them ;  men  of  great  ambition,  who 
would  sacrifice  every  thing  to  promote  their  own  personal 
glory ;  or  mere  spies,  who  are  sent  here  to  obtain  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  our  situation  and  circumstances ;  in  the  execu 
tion  of  which,  I  am  persuaded,  some  of  them  are  faithful 
emissaries,  as  I  do  not  believe  a  single  matter  escapes  unno 
ticed,  or  unadvised  at  a  foreign  court. 

I  could  say  a  great  deal  on  this  subject,  but  will  add  no 
more  at  present.  I  am  led  to  give  you  this  trouble,  at  this 
time,  by  a  very  handsome  certificate,  shown  to  me  yesterday, 
in  favour  of  M.  Neuville,  written  (I  believe)  by  himself,  and 
subscribed  by  General  Parsons,  designed,  as  I  am  informed, 
for  a  foundation  of  the  superstructure  of  a  brigadiership. 

Baron  Steuben,  I  now  find,  is  also  wanting  to  quit  his  in 
spectorship  for  a  command  in  the  line.  This  will  be  produc 
tive  of  much  discontent  to  the  brigadiers.  In  a  word,  although 
I  think  the  baron  an  excellent  officer,  I  do  most  devoutly  wish 
we  had  not  a  single  foreigner  among  us,  except  the  Marquis 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  409 


de  Lafayette,  who  acts  upon  very  different  principles  from 
those  which  govern  the  rest.     Adieu. 

I  am  most  sincerely  yours,  &c. 

This  letter,  although  it  was  addressed  to  Mr.  Morris,  in 
his  private  capacity,  was  intended  to  produce  an  impression 
in  Congress ;  and  we  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  its 
effect  was  of  the  most  beneficial  character. 

Those  few  foreigners  who  fought  in  our  revolution  for  the 
love  of  freedom,  are  the  more  to  be  admired  and  praised,  from 
the  fact,  that  it  requires  men  of  the  most  exalted  minds  to 
throw  off  the  impressions  which  a  foreign  education  and 
foreign  habits  produce,  however  erroneous;  and  to  adopt 
opinions,  and  support  principles  diametrically  opposite  to 
those  advocated  in  their  own  country. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Campaign  of  1778 — Operations  of  the  British — Massacre  of  American  Troops — 
Daring  Exploits  of  American  armed  Vessels — Howe  resigns — Succeeded  by  Sir 
Henry  Clinton — Alliance  of  America  with  France — Plan  of  Operations  of  British 
Ministry — British  evacuate  Philadelphia — Pursued  by  Washington — Battle  at 
Freehold— British  retreat  to  New  York. 

"  Now  I  behold  the  chiefs,  in  the  pride  of  their  former  deeds !  Their 
souls  are  kindled  at  the  battles  of  old  ;  at  the  actions  of  other  times.  Their 
eyes  are  flames  of  fire.  They  Toll  in  search  of  the  foes  of  the  land.  Their 
mighty  hands  are  on  their  swords.  Lightning  pours  from  their  sides  of 
steel.  They  come  like  streams  from  the  mountains;  each  rushes  roaring 
from  his  hill. 

"  Thin  thongs,  bright-studded  with  gems,  bend  on  the  stately  necks  of 
the  steeds.  The  steeds  that  like  wreaths  of  mist  fly  over  the  streamy  vales ! 
The  wildness  of  deer  is  in  their  course,  the  strength  of  eagles  descending 
on  their  prey.  Their  noise  is  like  the  blasts  of  winter.  *  *  * 

"  Morning  rose.     The  foe  were  fled,  like  the  departure  of  mist." 

THE  spring  of  1778  having  returned,  the  British  began  to 
scour  the  country  with  their  light  troops,  who,  falling  in  with 
a  party  of  Americans,  one  day,  at  the  bridges  of  Quinton  and 
Hancock,  barbarously  murdered  them  while  crying  for  quar- 


410  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1778. 

ters.  The  enemy  also  attempted  to  surprise  Lafayette,  en 
camped  at  Barren  Hill,  but  the  shrewd  and  skilful  youngster 
baffled  all  their  efforts. 

That  union  of  the  active  courage  of  the  French,  with  the 
passive  courage  of  the  English,  in  the  Americans,  which  so 
pre-eminently  distinguished  our  navy  in  the  late  war,  already 
began  to  manifest  itself  in  many  a  nautical  conflict.  Five 
hundred  English  vessels  had  already  been  captured  with  very 
valuable  cargoes;  thus  inflicting  a  severe  blow  upon  the 
British  commerce,  one  of  the  great  resources  of  the  nation, 
enabling  them  to  continue  the  war.  Even  the  coasts  of  Great 
Britain  were  not  secure  from  the  maritime  expeditions  of  the 
bold  and  enterprising  sons  of  America. 

Sir  William  Howe  had  resigned  his  office  of  commander- 
in-chief,  and  returned  to  Europe,  while  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
his  successor,  had  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  to  take  charge  of 
the  British  army. 

On  the  alliance  of  France  with  America,  the  British  Par 
liament  resolved  to  evacuate  Philadelphia,  the  possession  of 
which  had  cost  them  two  arduous  and  bloody  campaigns  to 
obtain.  It  was  apprehended  that  the  French  fleet  would 
appear  in  the  Delaware  and  endanger  the  British  army  at 
Philadelphia,  or  strike  a  blow  at  the  West  Indies.  In  either 
case,  New  York  was  a  more  eligible  situation  than  the  one 
now  occupied,  especially  as  the  design  of  the  British  ministry 
was  now  to  carry  on  the  war  in  the  south,  after  their  grand 
scheme  of  the  north  had  flitted  away  like  a  fairy  vision  of 
some  golden  dream,  when  the  mind  awakes  to  truth  and 
soberness. 

To  resume  our  figure  of  the  opening  of  the  last  chapter, 
Clinton  let  go  the  wolf,  which  Howe  had  given  him  to  hold, 
and  it  bit  him  grievously,  as  we  shall  perceive. 

As  the  fleet  of  Lord  Howe  was  still  in  the  Delaware,  it 
was  anticipated  that  the  army  would  be  transported  by  sea. 
Apprehensive,  however,  of  meeting  a  superior  French  fleet,  it 
was  resolved  to  retreat  through  New  Jersey. 

On  the  morning  of  the  18th  of  June,  the  army  proceeded 
to  the  point  of  land,  below  Philadelphia,  which  is  formed  by 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  411 


the  junction  of  the  Delaware  and  the  Schuylkill,  where  Clin 
ton  and  Howe  had  made  the  necessary  dispositions,  with  the 
boats  and  vessels  of  the  navy,  for  passing  the  river ;  and  at 
ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  the  British  army  was  encamped 
on  the  Jersey  shore.  The  Americans  entered  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  before  the  enemy  were  entirely  out  of  it. 

"It  is  a  fine  fox-chase,  my  boys !" 

This  exclamation  of  the  hero  of  our  tale,  on  a  former  occa 
sion,  has  probably  not  yet  been  forgotten,  and  now  the  great 
huntsman  prepares  for  a  fox-chase  on  a  grand  scale.  He  lets 
slip  the  dogs  of  wrar,  and  already  they  are  barking  on  the 
hills  of  New  Jersey. 

"  Far  from  the  tumult  fled  the  roe, 
Close  in  her  covert  cower'd  the  doe, 
The  falcon,  from  her  cairn  on  high, 
Cast  on  the  rout  a  wondering  eye, 
Till,  far  beyond  her  piercing  ken, 
The  hurricane  had  swept  the  glen. 
*          *  *  *  *  #-- 

The  owlets  started  from  their  dream, 
The  eagles  answer'd  with  a  scream." 

The  preparations  for  this  retreat  had  been  made  with  as 
much  secrecy  as  possible,  but  intelligence  of  them  was  con 
veyed  to  Washington,  who  detached  General  Maxwell  with 
a  brigade  into  New7  Jersey.  He  also  sent  General  Dickinson 
to  assemble  the  militia  of  that  state  —  to  break  down  the 
bridges ;  to  break  up  the  roads  ;  to  fell  trees,  and  plant  them 
in  abattis,  and,  by  every  means  in  their  power,  to  harass  the 
enemy  and  impede  their  progress,  until  he  could  bring  the 
main  army  across  the  Delaware  and  fall  upon  their  rear. 
Washington  despatched  Wayne,  Cadwallader,  Dickinson,  and 
Morgan,  to  harass  the  enemy ;  and  that  they  might  act  simul 
taneously,  he  placed  them  all  under  the  command  of  Lafayette, 
while  the  commander-in-chief,  who  had  left  Valley  Forge  the 
same  day  that  the  British  left  Philadelphia,  and  crossed  the 
Delaware,  followed  at  a  little  distance.  Morgan  was  hang 
ing  on  the  right  flank  like  an  incubus,  and  Dickson  on  the 
left ;  and,  as  things  were  now  fast  verging  to  a  crisis,  our 


412  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1778. 


chief  commander  ordered  General  Lee,  who  had  lately  been 
exchanged  for  Prescott,  to  press  forward  with  two  brigades. 
As  the  senior,  he  took  the  command  of  the  vanguard  from 
Lafayette. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  we  see  the  enemy  encamped  upon  the 
heights  near  Freehold  court-house,  in  Monmouth  county,  sixty- 
four  miles  from  Philadelphia.  Seeing  himself  very  closely  pur 
sued,  General  Clinton  knew  that  a  battle  was  inevitable,  and 
prepared  for  it,  by  sending  his  baggage  from  the  rear  to  the 
van — from  the  charge  of  Cornwallis  to  that  of  Knyphausen, 
while  himself,  with  the  van-guard,  would  keep  the  Ameri 
cans  in  check,  until  the  baggage  reached  the  hills  of  Middle- 
town,  from  which  a  retreat  could  be  effected  in  safety  to  New 
York. 

The  following  day,  just  before  rosy-fingered  Aurora  opened 
the  golden  portals  of  the  east,  Knyphausen  descended  from 
the  heights  into  a  valley,  about  three  miles  long,  and  one  mile 
wide,  with  his  baggage,  on  his  way  to  Mtddletown,  while  the 
division  with  which  Clinton  remained,  did  not  move  till  near 
eight  o'clock,  so  as  not  to  press  too  close  upon  the  baggage ; 
occupying  a  line  of  march  nearly  twelve  miles  long !  Soon 
after  the  rear  of  the  enemy  left  the  heights,  the  advanced 
corps  of  the  American  army  descended  impetuously  into  the 
plain,  from  the  same  heights  the  British  had  just  left,  to  attack 
them.  Lee,  who  had  been  ordered  to  make  the  attack,  on  the 
first  charge  fell  back,  and  fled.  But  Washington,  on  hearing 
the  firing,  left  baggage,  knapsacks  and  all,  behind,  hurried  to 
the  scene,  and  restored  the  fortune  of  the  day.  His  terrible 
reproaches  fell  on  the  ears  of  Lee  like  a  death-knell,  and  even 
he  made  great  efforts  to  rally  his  troops  and  retrieve  his 
honour.  Lee  was  not  fighting  for  his  country ;  and  his  con 
duct,  upon  more  than  one  occasion,  but  too  plainly  indicated 
that  his  object  was  to  counteract  the  plans  of  Washington,  to 
injure  his  reputation,  and  obtain  the  command  of  the  American 
armies  himself. 

But  the  thunderer  of  the  scene  has  come  ;  he  disposes  his 
troops  in  a  neighbouring  wood,  and  partly  upon  a  hill  on  the 
left,  from  which  Sterling  poured  his  fiery  indignation  from 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  413 

the  cannon's  mouth.  The  infantry  were  drawn  up  in  the 
centre,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  in  front  of  the  enemy. 
Greene  advanced  with  the  right  wing,  but  being  apprized 
that  Lee  had  retreated  again,  with  the  vanguard,  he  took  a 
strong  position  on  the  right  of  Lord  Sterling.  Here  he  stands, 
the  genius  of  the  hill ;  orders  his  artillery  to  be  posted,  and 
then  he  roars.  The  next  hill,  and  the  third,  and  the  fourth, 
catch  the  terrible  sound  and  roar  again.  The  enemy,  finding 
themselves  thus  cruelly  arrested  in  what  they  at  first  be 
lieved  to  be  a  victorious  career,  then  attempted  to  turn  the 
left  flank  of  the  Americans,  but  here  they  were  repulsed  by 
the  light  infantry  which  Washington  had  posted  there.  They 
now  made  an  effort  to  surround  the  right  of  the  Americans, 
but  Greene  was  there,  with  many  a  brave  son  of  America, 
who  bid  the  cannon  speak  for  freedom  in  deafening  eloquence, 
which  forced  the  British  to  retreat.  As  soon  as  Washington 
saw  them  give  way,  he  ordered  them  to  be  charged  vigorously 
by  the  infantry,  under  General  Wayne.  The  English  turned 
their  backs,  crossed  the  ravine,  and  formed  anew.  Night 
drops  her  sombre  curtain  and  hides  the  scene.  The  action 
ceases,  but  the  troops  are  kept  under  arms,  to  renew  battle 
next  morning.  But,  taking  advantage  of  the  night,  the  enemy 
retreated  towards  New  York.  The  loss  of  the  Americans 
was  8  officers  and  61  privates,  killed,  and  about  160  wounded ; 
that  of  the  English,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  was  358 
men,  including  officers ;  100  were  taken  prisoners,  and  1000 
deserted  during  the  retreat. 

Overcome  by  the  excessive  heat,  59  British  soldiers  fell 
dead  without  a  wound,  and  several  Americans  died  from  the 
same  cause. 

Washington  greatly  commended  his  troops  for  the  valour 
they  had  displayed,  and  particularly  General  Wayne,  the 
lightning  of  whose  steel  was  a  terror  to  his  foes  ;  and  Congress 
voted  thanks  to  the  troops  and  the  officers. 

General  Lee  was  arrested  and  brought  before  a  court-mar 
tial,  charged  with  disobedience  to  orders  ;  for  having  made  an 
unnecessary,  disorderly,  and  shameful  retreat ;  and  for  dis 
respect  to  the  commander-in-chief  in  two  letters.  The  court- 


414  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1778. 


martial  found  him  guilty,  expunging,  however,  the  epithet 
shameful,  and  sentenced  him  to  be  suspended  for  one  year. 
Congress,  with  some  hesitation,  confirmed  the  sentence.  Lee 
was  a  great  man,  but  he  fell  a  victim  to  his  ambition,  and 
was  suffered  to  die,  in  comparative  obscurity,  by  the  Ame 
rican  people.  It  should,  however,  in  justice  to  General  Lee, 
be  stated  that  he  had  some  able  defenders,  who  believed  that 
his  punishment  was  a  hardship,  and  that  he  fell  a  victim  to 
his  ungovernable  temper  rather  than  to  any  ambitious  designs. 

On  the  1st  of  July,  Washington  marched  his  army  towards 
the  Hudson,  to  secure  the  passages  of  the  mountains,  leaving, 
however,  some  detachments  of  light  troops  in  New  Jersey  to 
repress  the  incursions  of  the  enemy,  and  to  pick  up  deserters. 

On  the  30th  of  June  the  British  army  had  arrived  at  Mid- 
dletown,  not  far  from  Sandy  Hook.  The  fleet  of  Howe,  from 
the  Delaware,  was  there,  ready  to  receive  it.  Sandy  Hook 
had  hitherto  been  a  peninsula,  but  the  preceding  winter,  a 
violent  storm  and  inundation  had  disjoined  it  from  the  main 
land,  and  converted  it  into  an  island.  A  bridge  of  boats  was 
constructed  over  this  new  strait,  and  the  army  passed  to 
Sandy  Hook  island,  whence  it  was  conveyed  by  the  fleet  to 
New  York. 

For  a  time  the  Americans  had  been  compelled  to  retreat 
before  superior  numbers,  but,  like  a  stream  turned  back  upon 
itself,  they  had  gathered  strength,  and  at  last  they  came  like 
a  mighty  flood,  and  swept  the  enemy  to  the  sea. 

Having  made  no  progress  in  the  American  war,  the  king 
and  his  ministers  had  occasion  to  pray  for  being  defended 

"  From  reveries  so  airy,  from  the  toil 
Of  dropping  buckets  into  empty  wells, 
And  growing  old  in  drawing  nothing  up  !" 

And  should  any  marvel  at  their  ill  success,  while  we  have 
our  finger  in  the  button-hole  of  Cowper's  coat,  we  ask  him 
for  another  quotation,  to  remove  the  difficulty,  and  close  this 
chapter. 

"Whose  freedom  is  by  sufferance,  and  at  will 
Of  a  superior,  he  is  never  free. 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  415 

Who  lives,  arid  is  not  weary  of  a  life 

Exposed  to  manacles,  deserves  them  well. 

The  state  that  strives  for  liberty,  though  foil'd, 

Arid  forced  to  abandon  what  she  bravely  sought, 

Deserves  at  least  applause  for  her  attempt, 

And  pity  for  her  loss.    But  thafs  a  cause 

Not  often  unsuccessful :  power  usurped 

Is  weakness,  when  opposed  ,•  conscious  of  wrong, 

'  Tis  pusillanimous  and  prone  to  flight. 

But  slaves  that  once  conceive  the  glowing  thought 

Of  freedom,  in  that  hope  itself  possess 

All  thai  the  contest  calls  for  ;  spirit,  strength, 

The  scorn  of  danger,  and  united  hearts  ; 

The  surest  presage  of  the  good  they  seek." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Arrival  of  Count  D'Estaing — Attack  by  the  French  Fleet  on  Newport — Admi 
ral  Lord  Howe  sails  to  its  Defence — Both  Fleets  dispersed  by  a  Storm— D'Estaing 
sails  for  Boston — American  Forces  abandon  the  Enterprise,  and  retreat— British 
pursue  them — Battle  at  Quaker  Hill — Enemy  repulsed — General  Clinton  arrives 
for  Relief  of  Newport — Returns  to  New  York. 

"  List,  ye  landsmen,  all  to  me.*' 

ON  the  8th  of  July,  a  short  time  after  Lord  Howe  left  the 
Delaware,  the  Count  D'Estaing,  having  arrived  from  France, 
entered  the  mouth  of  the  river  with  a  powerful  armament,  to 
co-operate  with  the  American  army,  to  destroy  both  the  Bri 
tish  army  and  fleet.  Having  received  intelligence  that  the 
enemy  was  gone,  the  count  put  to  sea  anew,  and  on  the  llth 
appeared  at  Sandy  Hook,  in  sight  of  the  British  squadron ; 
but,  apprehensive  that  his  large  ships  would  not  pass  over 
the  bar,  in  the  mouth  of  the  bay  of  New  York,  he  withdrew 
to  the  coast  of  New  Jersey,  about  four  miles  from  Sandy 
Hook,  where  he  concerted  an  expedition,  with  the  American 
generals,  against  Rhode  Island,  which  had  been  in  possession 
of  the  British  since  December,  1776. 

The  fleet  of  D'Estaing  consisted  of  twelve  ships  of  the  line ; 
two  of  eighty  guns,  six  of  seventy-four,  and  four  large 
frigates.  After  leaving  Howe,  with  an  inferior  naval  force, 


416  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1778. 

for  some  time  in  constant  apprehension  of  being  attacked,  he 
sailed  for  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  to  act  in  concert  with 
troops,  under  General  Sullivan,  destined  for  the  expedition. 
The  militia  of  New  England  were  assembled ;  General 
Greene  was  sent  to  Rhode  Island,  his  native  state,  to  arouse 
the  inhabitants ;  and  an  army  of  10,000  men  was  soon  ready 
to  attack  Newport  by  land. 

In  the  meantime,  General  Pigot,  who  commanded  in  Rhode 
Island,  was  reinforced  from  New  York.  His  garrison  now 
amounted  to  6000  men.  The  part  of  the  town  towards  the 
sea  was  fortified  with  great  expedition;  several  vessels  of 
transport  were  sunk,  to  obstruct  the  approaches  to  the  im 
portant  batteries ;  while  others  were  burned,  to  prevent  them 
from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  French. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  Count  D'Estaing  anchored  about  five 
miles  from  Newport.  General  Sullivan  not  having  received 
all  the  militia  he  expected,  a  delay  of  some  days  was  occa 
sioned;  but,  on  the  8th  of  August,  the  preparations  being 
completed,  and  the  wind  favourable,  the  French  squadron 
entered  the  harbour  of  Newport,  discharged  its  broadsides, 
and  received  the  enemy's  fire  from  their  batteries  on  shore, 
without  much  effect  on  either  side.  The  next  day,  signals 
announced  the  approach  of  the  whole  British  squadron,  under 
Lord  Howe,  which,  though  reinforced,  was  still  inferior  to 
that  of  the  French.  The  defence  of  the  narrow  entrance  of 
the  harbour,  however,  was  so  formidable,  that  Howe  con 
cluded  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  afford  any  aid  to  the 
besieged  army.  Every  thing  promised  success  to  the  allies, 
when  Count  D'Estaing,  whose  heart,  like  Nebuchadnezzar's 
furnace,  was  heated  seven  times  hotter  than  it  was  wont  to 
be  heated,  on  seeing  a  British  fleet,  sailed  out  of  the  harbour 
to  attack  it.  The  French  admiral  having  the  weather-gage, 
Howe  declined  coming  to  action,  and  both  fleets  manreuvred 
all  day — the  one  to  gain,  and  the  other  to  retain  that  advan 
tage.  On  the  llth,  the  wind  still  being  unfavourable,  Howe 
resolved,  notwithstanding,  to  meet  the  French.  The  fleets 
were  disposed  in  order  of  battle,  ready  to  commence  a  close 
action,  when  a  violent  storm  arose,  which  not  only  separated 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  417 


the  two  fleets,  but  dispersed  the  ships  of  each,  and  almost 
tore  them  to  pieces.  The 

" glorious  mirror,  where  the  Almighty's  form 

Glasses  itself  in  tempests," 

began  to  heave  its  bosom  like  a  thing  of  life,  and  the  waves 
resumed  their  sway  over  the  wide  waste  of  waters,  and  the 
winds  were  heard  in  the  distance.  The  cries  of  the  sailors, 
the  flapping  of  the  sails,  the  whistling  and  moaning  of  the 
blasts,  conspire  to  make  every  thing  appear  dismal  in  the 
extreme.  You  look  above,  and  all  is  dark  and  fearful — the 
clouds  roll  in  swift  and  heavy  masses  along  the  concave,  and 
the  sailor,  clinging  to  the  sails  as  he  binds  them  to  the  quiver 
ing  yards,  seems  every  moment  ready  to  be  shaken  from  his 
hold.  The  waves  now  swell  into  billows,  threatening  to  in 
vade  the  sky.  You  look  around,  but  the  frightfulness  of  the 
scene  is  increased.  The  dark  clouds  give  an  appearance  to 
the  sea  black  as  ink.  The  immense  billows,  tumbling  with  a 
jar  against  the  vessel's  side,  and  with  a  crash  floating  over 
the  deck ;  the  staggering,  plunging,  and  rolling  motion  of  the 
vessel,  every  moment  seeming  as  if  it  would  drink  in  the 
waters  and  sink ;  all  are  alike  fearful  and  sublime,. 

The  mountain  billows  are  now  sweeping  around  and  over 
us  in  fearful  rapidity,  and  dashing  against  the  vessel  with 
foaming  fury,  while  the  spray  begins  to  fly  from  her  bows 
like  the  foam  of  a  great  cataract. 

Darkness  comes  over  the  scene,  and  reigns  in  fearful  ma 
jesty.  The  portentous  screeching  of  the  sea-birds  adds  terror 
to  the  scene.  The  rage  and  fury  of  the  storm  increases ;  the 
ships  are  hurled  with  an  appalling  velocity  through  the  foam 
ing  spray;  the  rattling  of  the  blocks  overhead  is  blended 
with  the  voices  of  the  commanders  and  sailors ;  the  sails  are 
torn  from  the  ropes  and  scattered  in  fragments,  the  sport  of 
the  winds.  To  these  terrors  are  added  the  increased  roaring 
and  bellowing  of  the  waves,  and  the  howling  of  the  tempest 
uous  winds,  like  the  roaring  and  howling  of  ten  thousand 
wild  beasts,  mingled  with  the  dreadful  voices  of  some  mighty 
spirits  ruling  the  deep.  The  rain,  the  hail,  the  glare  of  light 
ning,  displaying  the  flashing  crests  of  foam,  and  the  crashing 

53 


418  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1778. 

peals  of  thunder,  which  as  the  rage  of  the  tempest  increases, 
are  heard  no  more  amid  the  terrible  din  of  the  sea,  roaring 
louder  than  thunder,  form  a  scene,  the  grandeur  and  awful 
sublimity  of  which  no  language  can  paint. 

Heaven  and  earth  seem  to  be  at  war ;  the  elements  of  the 
sky  threaten  destruction  to  the  sea,  and  the  sea  is  hurling 
foaming  mountains  at  the  sky.  The  vessel  is  borne  aloft  by 
one  of  those  mountains  of  water,  lit  up  by  the  lightning's 
glare,  which  soon  break  into  masses  of  living  fire,  revealing 
all  the  vast  rommotion  of  the  elements,  startling  the  mind 
with  terror,  u-ionishment,  and  admiration — then  all  is  veiled 
in  darkness  again.  The  vessel  trembles  for  a  moment  upon 
a  fearful  height,  then  plunges  down — down  into  a  frightful 
chasm,  in  which,  for  a  time,  she  appears  to  be  engulfed,  but, 
like  some  huge  monster  of  the  deep,  she  labours,  and  groans, 
and  leaps  upon  the  billows  again.  The  storm  increases.  See 
how  the  Alpine  mountains  of  water  roll  on :  now  we  are 
rising  higher  and  higher,  and  then  again  we  plunge  into  a 
great  valley,  and  the  mountains  threaten  to  close  over  our 
heads.  The  masts,  with  portions  of  sails  torn  into  ribbons, 
now  come  down  like  an  avalanche ;  the  helm  is  abandoned, 
and  we  are  hurried  on,  the  sport  of  the  winds  and  the  waves. 

Such  wac  ''••••  ~torm  that  dispersed  the  two  fleets,  all  except 
the  thunder.  \  .ich  we  put  in  to  fill  up  the  picture,  as  we 
once  had  the  pleasure  to  witness  it,  in  a  thunder-storm,  near 
the  banks  of  Newfoundland. 

However  extravagant  the  description  of  this  storm  may 
appear  to  those  who  have  not  seen  a  storm  at  sea,  it  will  soon 
appear  that  we  have  not  exaggerated. 

The  tempest,  which  had  lasted  for  forty-eight  hours,  dam 
aged  the  ships  of  both  fleets  so  much,  that  they  were  compelled 
to  put  into  port  to  repair.  The  French  admiral's  ship,  the 
I  Languedoc,  one  of  the  largest  vessels,  lost  her  rudder  and  all 
her  masts,  and  floated  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and 
the  currents.  In  this  plight,  she  fell  in  with  an  English  vessel 
of  the  scattered  fleet,  of  only  fifty  guns,  but  less  damaged. 
A  vigorous  attack  was  made  upon  the  wreck,  which  would 
have  been  captured  but  for  the  approach  of  night.  The 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  419 


following  morning  a  number  of  French  vessels  appeared,  and 
gave  the  British  captain  chase,  without  being  able  to  come 
up  with  him.  The  same  day  another  English  vessel  fell  in 
with  a  French  ship,  with  only  her  mainmast  standing.  They 
were  also  separated  by  the  coming  of  night,  and  the  appear 
ance  of  several  French  ships,  the  next  morning,  caused  the 
enemy  to  withdraw.  The  British  vessels  returned  to  Sandy 
Hook  and  New  York,  and  the  French  to  the  harbour  of 
Newport. 

Here  Count  d'Estaing  soon  informed  General  Sullivan  that 
his  intentions  were  to  sail  to  Boston,  to  repair  his  injuries, 
according  to  his  instructions,  which  were,  that  if  he  should 
meet  with  any  disaster,  or  if  a  superior  fleet  should  appear 
on  the  coast,  he  should  sail  for  that  port.  The  late  storm, 
and  the  approach  of  Admiral  Byron  with  reinforcements, 
from  England,  induced  him  to  take  this  resolution. 

Generals  Greene  and  Lafayette,  convinced  that  his  departure 
would  be  the  ruin  of  the  expedition,  made  every  possible 
effort  to  persuade  the  Count  to  remain :  but  all  was  fruitless. 
He  got  under  sail  on  the  22d  of  August,  and  was  soon 
anchored  in  the  harbour  of  Boston. 

Finding  themselves  deserted  by  their  allies,  the  militia 
disbanded,  until  the  American  army,  in  Rhode  Island,  was 
reduced  from  10,000  men  to  about  half  that  number.  The 
American  generals  found  it  necessary  to  retreat.  They  were 
closely  pursued  by  the  British  and  Hessians,  who  coming  up 
in  great  force,  in  the  environs  of  Quaker  Hill,  a  hot  contest 
ensued,  in  which  many  fell  on  both  sides,  but  the  enemy  were 
at  length  repulsed. 

The  day  after  the  retreat,  General  Clinton  arrived  with 
4000  men,  and  a  light  squadron,  for  the  relief  of  Newport. 
Finding  the  place  secure,  he  returned  to  New  York. 


420  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1778- 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Dreadful  Barbarities  committed  by  the  Indians — Massacre  of  Wyoming. 

"They  fell,  like  the  young  oaks  which  stood  alone  on  the  hill.  The 
traveller  saw  the  lovely  trees,  and  wondered  how  they  grew  so  lonely. 
The  blast  of  the  desert  came  and  laid  their  green  heads  low.  Next  day 
he  returned;  but  they  were  withered,  and  the  heath  was  bare." — Ossian. 

THE  savages  took  a  more  active  part  than  ever  in  the  cam 
paign  of  this  year.  Though  they  had  been  intimidated  by 
the  success  of  General  Gates,  and  had  sent  him  congratula 
tions  for  himself  and  the  United  States,  the  intrigues  and 
presents  of  the  British  agents  had  not  lost  their  power  over 
them.  Moreover,  the  emigrant  colonists,  who  had  retired 
among  these  barbarians,  excited  them  continually  by  instiga 
tions,  which,  together  with  their  natural  thirst  for  blood  and 
pillage,  determined  them,  without  scruple,  to  make  incursions 
upon  the  northern  frontiers,  where  they  spread  terror  and 
desolation.  The  most  ruthless  chiefs  that  guided  them  in 
these  sanguinary  expeditions,  were  Colonel  Butler,  who  had 
already  signalized  himself  in  this  war,  and  a  certain  Brandt, 
born  of  mixed  blood,  the  most  ferocious  being  ever  produced 
by  human  nature,  often  too  prodigal  of  similar  monsters. 
They  spared  neither  age,  nor  sex,  nor  condition,  nor  even 
their  own  kindred ;  everywhere,  indiscriminately,  they  car 
ried  devastation  and  death.  The  knowledge  which  the  refu 
gees  had  of  the  country,  and  the  insulated  position  of  the 
habitations,  scattered  here  and  there  in  the  wilderness ;  the 
distance  from  the  seat  of  government,  and  the  necessity  of 
employing  the  national  force  in  other  remote  parts,  offered 
the  Indians  every  facility  for  executing  their  enterprises,  and 
retiring  with  impunity.  No  means  had  hitherto  been  found 
of  repressing  the  inroads  of  so  cruel  an  enemy. 

But,  in  the  midst  of  this  general  devastation,  there  hap 
pened  an  event  which,  perhaps,  would  be  found  without  ex 
ample  in  the  history  of  inhuman  men.  Inhabitants  of  Con- 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  421 

necticut  had  planted,  on  the  eastern  branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna,  towards  the  extremity  of  Pennsylvania,  and  upon  the 
road  of  Oswego,  the  settlement  of  Wyoming.  Populous  and 
flourishing,  its  prosperity  was  the  subject  of  admiration.  It 
consisted  of  eight  townships,  each  containing  a  square  of  five 
miles,  beautifully  situated  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  The 
mildness  of  the  climate  answered  to  the  fertility  of  the  soil. 
The  inhabitants  were  strangers  alike  to  excessive  wealth, 
which  elates  and  depraves,  and  to  poverty,  which  discourages 
and  degrades.  All  lived  in  a  happy  mediocrity,  frugal  of 
their  own,  and  coveting  nothing  from  others.  Incessantly 
occupied  in  rural  toils,  they  avoided  idleness,  and  all  the 
vices  of  which  it  is  the  source.  In  a  word,  this  little  coun 
try  presented  in  reality  the  image  of  those  fabulous  times 
which  the  poets  have  described  under  the  name  of  the  Golden 
Age.  But  their  domestic  felicity  was  no  counterpoise  to  the 
zeal  with  which  they  were  animated  for  the  common  cause ; 
they  took  up  arms  and  flew  to  succour  their  country.  It  is 
said  they  had  furnished  to  the  army  no  less  than  a  thousand 
soldiers,  a  number  truly  prodigious  for  so  feeble  a  population, 
and  so  happy  in  their  homes.  Yet,  notwithstanding  the 
drain  of  all  this  vigorous  youth,  the  abundance  of  harvests 
sustained  no  diminution.  Their  crowded  granaries,  and  pas 
tures  replenished  with  fat  cattle,  offered  an  exhaustless 
resource  to  the  American  army. 

*  But  neither  so  many  advantages,  nor  even  the  retired  situ 
ation  of  these  unfortunate  colonists,  could  exempt  them  from 
the  baneful  influence  of  party  spirit.  Although  the  tories,  as 
they  called  them,  were  not  so  numerous  as  the  partizans  of 
liberty,  yet  they  challenged  attention  by  the  arrogance  of 
their  character  and  the  extent  of  their  pretensions.  Hence, 
not  only  families  vrere  seen  armed  against  families,  but  even 
sons  aided  against  their  fathers ;  brothers  against  brothers, 
and,  at  last,  wives  against  husbands.  The  tories  were  exas 
perated  at  their  losses  in  the  incursions  they  had  made  in 
company  with  the  savages  in  the  preceding  campaigns ;  but 
that  which  envenomed  them  the  most  was,  that  several  indi 
viduals  of  the  same  party,  who,  having  quitted  their  habita- 

_ 


422  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1778. 


tions,  were  come  to  claim  hospitality,  then  so  much  in  honour 
among  the  Americans,  and  particularly  at  Wyoming,  had 
been  arrested  as  suspected  persons,  and  sent  to  take  their 
trial  in  Connecticut.  Others  had  been  expelled  from  the 
colony.  Thus  hatred  became  continually  more  and  more 
rancorous.  The  tories  swore  revenge ;  they  coalesced  with 
the  Indians.  The  time  was  favourable,  as  the  youth  of  Wy 
oming  were  with  the  army.  In  order  the  better  to  secure 
success,  and  to  surprise  their  enemies  before  they  should 
think  of  standing  upon  their  defence,  they  resorted  to  artifice. 
They  pretended  the  most  friendly  dispositions,  while  they 
meditated  only  war  and  vengeance. 

"A  few  weeks  before  they  purposed  to  execute  their  horrible 
enterprise,  they  sent  several  messengers,  charged  with  pro 
testations  of  their  earnest  desire  to  cultivate  peace.  These 
perfidies  lulled  the  inhabitants  of  Wyoming  into  a  deceitful 
security,  while  they  procured  the  tories  and  savages  the 
means  of  concerting  with  their  partisans,  and  of  observing 
the  immediate  state  of  the  colony.  Notwithstanding  the 
solemn  assurances  of  the  Indians,  the  colonists,  as  it  often 
happens  when  great  calamities  are  about  to  fall  on  a  people, 
seemed  to  have  a  presentiment  of  their  approaching  fate. 
[This  is  mere  slang — their  fears  arising  from  opinion.]  They 
wrote  to  Washington,  praying  him  to  send  them  immediate  aid. 
Their  despatches  did  not  reach  him ;  they  were  intercepted 
by  the  Pennsylvania  loyalists  ;  and  they  would,  besides,  have 
arrived  too  late.  The  savages  had  already  made  their  ap 
pearance  upon  the  frontiers  of  the  colony ;  the  plunder  they 
had  made  there  was  of  little  importance,  but  the  cruelties  they 
had  perpetrated  were  affrightful ;  the  mournful  prelude  of 
those  more  terrible  scenes  which  were  shortly  to  follow ! 

"About  the  commencement  of  the  morali  of  July,  the  In 
dians  suddenly  appeared  in  force  upon  the  banks  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna.  They  were  headed  by  the  John  Butler  and  Brandt 
already  named,  with  other  chiefs  of  their  nation,  distinguished 
by  their  extreme  ferocity  in  the  preceding  expeditions.  This 
troop  amounted  in  all  to  1600  men,  of  whom  no  less  than  a 
fourth  were  Indians,  and  the  rest  tories,  disguised  and  painted 


1778.]  REVOLUTION.  423 

to  resemble  them.  The  officers,  however,  wore  the  uniforms 
of  their  rank,  and  had  the  appearance  of  regulars.  The 
colonists  of  Wyoming,  finding  their  friends  so  remote,  and 
their  enemies  so  near,  had  constructed  for  their  security  four 
forts,  in  which,  and  upon  different  points  of  the  frontier,  they 
had  distributed  about  500  men.  The  whole  colony  was  placed 
under  the  command  of  Zebulon  Butler,  cousin  of  John,  a  man 
who,  with  some  courage,  was  totally  devoid  of  capacity.  He 
was  even  accused  of  treachery ;  but  this  imputation  is  not 
proved.  It  is  at  least  certain,  that  one  of  the  forts  which 
stood  nearest  to  the  frontier,  was  intrusted  to  soldiers  infected 
with  the  opinions  of  the  tories,  and  who  gave  it  up,  without 
resistance,  at  the  first  approach  of  the  enemy.  The  second, 
on  being  vigorously  assaulted,  surrendered  at  discretion. 
The  savages  spared,  it  is  true,  the  women  and  children,  but 
butchered  all  the  rest,  without  exception.  Zebulon  withdrew, 
with  all  his  people,  into  the  principal  fort,  called  Kingston. 
The  old  men,  the  women,  the  children,  in  a  word,  al!  that 
were  unable  to  bear  arms,  repaired  thither  in  throngs,  and 
uttering  lamentable  cries,  as  to  the  last  refuge  where  any 
hope  of  safety  remained.  The  position  was  susceptible  of 
defence ;  and  if  Zebulon  had  held  firm,  he  might  have  hoped 
to  withstand  the  enemy  until  the  arrival  of  succours.  But 
John  Butler  w:as  lavish  of  promises,  in  order  to  draw  him  out, 
in  which  he  succeeded,  by  persuading  him  that  if  he  would 
consent  to  a  parley  in  the  open  field,  the  siege  would  soon  be 
raised,  and  every  thing  accommodated.  John  retired,  in  fact, 
with  all  his  corps  :  Zebulon  afterwards  marched  out  to  the 
place  appointed  for  the  conference,  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  fort;  from  motives  of  caution,  he  took  with  him  400 
men.  well  armed,  being  nearly  the  whole  strength  of  his  gar 
rison.  If  this  step  was  not  dictated  by  treachery,  it  must,  at 
least,  be  attributed  to  a  very  strange  simplicity.  Having 
come  to  the  spot  agreed  on,  Zebulon  found  no  living  being 
there.  Reluctant  to  return  without  an  interview,  he  advanced 
towards  the  foot  of  a  mountain,  at  a  still  greater  distance 
from  the  fort,  hoping  he  might  there  find  some  person  to 
confer  with.  The  further  he  proceeded  in  this  dismal  soli- 


424  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1778. 


tude,  the  more  he  had  occasion  to  remark  that  no  token 
appeared  of  the  presence  or  vicinity  of  human  creatures. 
But  far  from  halting,  as  if  impelled  by  an  irresistible  destiny, 
[or  unmitigated  stupidity,]  he  continued  his  march.  The 
country,  meanwhile,  began  to  be  overshadowed  by  thick 
forests:  at  length,  in  a  winding  path,  he  perceived  a  flag, 
which  seemed  to  wave  him  on.  The  individual  who  bore  it, 
as  if  afraid  of  treachery  from  his  side,  retired  as  he  advanced, 
still  making  the  same  signals.  But  already  the  Indians,  who 
knew  the  country,  profiting  of  the  obscurity  of  the  woods, 
had  completely  surrounded  him.  The  unfortunate  American, 
without  suspicion  of  the  peril  he  was  in,  continued  to  press 
forward,  in  order  to  assure  the  traitors  that  he  would  not 
betray  them.  He  was  awakened  but  too  soon  from  this 
dream  of  security ;  in  an  instant  the  savages  sprung  from 
their  ambush,  and  fell  upon  him  with  hideous  yells. 

"  He  formed  his  little  troop  into  a  compact  column,  and 
showed  more  presence  of  mind  in  danger  than  he  had  mani 
fested  in  the  negotiation.  Though  surprised,  the  Americans 
exhibited  such  vigour  and  resolution  that  the  advantage  was 
rather  on  their  side,  when  a  soldier,  either  through  treachery 
or  cowardice,  cried  out  aloud,  "  The  colonel  has  ordered  a 
retreat"  The  Americans  immediately  break,  the  savages 
leap  in  among  the  ranks,  and  a  horrible  carnage  ensues. 
The  fugitives  fall  by  missiles,  the  resisting  by  clubs  and  toma 
hawks.  The  wounded  overturn  those  that  are  not ;  the  dead 
and  the  dying  are  heaped  together  promiscuously.  Happy 
those  who  expire  the  soonest !  The  savages  reserve  the  liv 
ing  for  tortures !  and  the  infuriate  tories,  if  other  arms  fail 
them,  mangle  the  prisoners  with  their  nails  !  Never  was  rout 
so  deplorable;  never  was  massacre  accompanied  with  so 
many  horrors.  Nearly  all  the  Americans  perished ;  about 
sixty  escaped  from  the  butchery,  and,  with  Zebulon,  made 
their  way  good  to  a  redoubt  upon  the  other  bank  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna. 

"  The  conquerors  invested  Kingston  anew,  and,  to  dismay 
the  relics  of  the  garrison  by  the  most  execrable  spectacle, 
they  hurled  into  the  place  above  two  hundred  scalps,  still  reek- 


1779.]  REVOLUTION.  425 


ing  with  blood,  of  their  slaughtered  brethren.  Colonel  Denni- 
son,  who  commanded  the  fort,  seeing  the  impossibility  of  de 
fence,  sent  out  a  flag  to  inquire  of  Butler  what  terms  would 
be  allowed  the  garrison,  on  surrendering  the  fort  ?  He  an 
swered,  with  all  the  fellness  of  his  inhuman  character,  in  a 
single  word — the  hatchet.  Reduced  to  this  dreadful  extre 
mity,  the  colonel  still  made  what  resistance  he  could.  At 
length,  having  lost  almost  all  his  soldiers,  he  surrendered  at 
discretion.  The  savages  entered  the  fort,  and  began  to  drag 
out  the  vanquished,  who,  knowing  the  hands  they  were  in, 
expected  no  mercy.  But,  impatient  of  the  tedious  process 
of  murder  in  detail,  the  barbarians  afterwards  bethought 
themselves  of  enclosing  the  men,  women  and  children  pro 
miscuously  in  the  houses  and  barracks,  to  which  they  set  fire 
and  consumed  all  within,  listening,  delighted,  to  the  moans 
and  shrieks  of  the  expiring  multitude. 

"  The  fort  of  Wilkesbarre  still  remained  in  the  power  of  the 
colonists  of  Wyoming.  The  victors  presented  themselves 
before  it ;  those  within,  hoping  to  find  mercy,  surrendered  at 
discretion,  and  without  resistance.  But  if  opposition  exas 
perated  these  ferocious  men,  or  rather  these  tigers,  insatiable 
of  human  blood,  submission  did  not  soften  them.  Their  rage 
was  principally  exercised  upon  the  soldiers  of  the  garrison, 
all  of  whom  they  put  to  death,  with  a  barbarity  ingenious  in 
tortures.  As  for  the  rest,  men,  women,  and  children,  who 
appeared  to  them  not  to  merit  any  special  attention,  they 
burned  them  as  before,  in  the  houses  and  barracks.  The 
forts  being  fallen  into  their  hands,  the  barbarians  proceeded, 
without  obstacle,  to  the  devastation  of  the  country.  They 
employed  at  once,  fire,  sword,  and  all  instruments  of  destruc 
tion.  The  crops  of  every  description  were  consigned  to  the 
flames.  The  habitations,  granaries,  and  other  constructions 
the  fruit  of  years  of  human  industry,  sunk  in  ruin  under  the 
destructive  strokes  of  these  cannibals.  But  who  will  believe 
that  their  fury,  not  yet  satiated  upon  human  creatures,  was 
also  wreaked  upon  the  very  beasts  ?  That  they  cut  out  the 
tongues  of  the  horses  and  cattle,  and  left  them  to  wander  in 
the  midst  of  those  fields  lately  so  luxuriant,  and  now  in  deso- 

54  42  L* 


426  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1778-9. 


lation,   seeming  to   enjoy  the   torments   of  their    lingering 
death  ? 

"  We  have  long  hesitated  whether  we  ought  to  relate  par 
ticular  instances  of  this  demoniac  cruelty ;  the  bare  remem 
brance  of  them  makes  us  shudder.  But  on  reflecting  that 
these  examples  may  deter  good  [rulers]  from  war,  and  citi 
zens  from  civil  discord,  we  have  deemed  it  useful  to  record 
them.  Captain  Bedlock  having  been  stripped  naked,  the 
savages  stuck  sharp  pine  splinters  into  all  parts  of  his  body; 
and  then  a  heap  of  knots  of  the  same  wood  being  piled  round 
him,  the  whole  was  set  on  fire,  and  his  two  companions,  the 
Captains  Ranson  and  Durgee,  thrown  alive  into  the  flames. 
The  tories  appeared  to  vie  with,  and  even  to  surpass,  the  sav 
ages  in  barbarity.  One  of  them,  whose  mother  had  married  a 
second  husband,  butchered  her  with  his  own  hand,  and  after 
wards  massacred  his  father-in-law,  his  own  sisters,  and  their 
infants  in  the  cradle.  Another  killed  his  own  father,  and 

|  exterminated  all  his  family.  A  third  imbrued  his  hands  in 
the  blood  of  his  brothers,  his  sisters,  his  brother-in-law,  and 
his  father-in-law. 

"These  were  a  part  only  of  the  horrors  perpetrated  by  the 

I  loyalists  and  Indians,  at  the  excision  of  Wyoming.     Other 

I  atrocities,  if  possible,  still  more  abominable,  we  leave  in  si 
lence. 

"Those  who  had  survived  the  massacres  were  no  less  worthy 

I  of  commiseration  ;  they  were  women  and  children,  who  had 
escaped  to  the  woods  at  the  time  their  husbands  and  fathers 

|  expired  under  the  blows  of  the  barbarians.  Dispersed  and 
wandering  in  the  forests,  as  chance  and  fear  directed  their 

|  steps,  without  clothes,  without  food,  without  guide,  these 
defenceless  fugitives  suffered  every  degree  of  distress.  Seve 
ral  of  the  women  were  delivered  alone  in  the  woods,  at  a 

I  great  distance  from  every  possibility  of  relief.     The  most  ro- 

I  bust  and  resolute  alone  escaped  ;  the  others  perished  ;  their 
bodies  and  those  of  their  hapless  infants  became  the  prey  of 
wild  beasts.  Thus  the  most  flourishing  colony  then  existing 
in  America  was  totally  erased. 

"  The  destruction  of  Wyoming,  and  the  cruelties  which 


1779.]  REVOLUTION.  427 


accompanied  it,  filled  all  the  inhabitants  of  America  with 
horror,  with  compassion,  and  with  indignant  fury.  They 
fully  purposed,  on  a  future  day,  to  exact  a  condign  vengeance ; 
but  in  the  present  state  of  the  war,  it  was  not  in  their  power 
to  execute  their  intent  immediately." 

The  day  of  retribution  came,  and  the  savages  felt  the  fire 
and  sword  of  a  people  whom  their  outrages  had  inspired  with 
unrelenting  fury,  almost  as  savage  as  their  own, 


CHAPTER  XVIEI. 

Campaign  once  more  opened  in  the  South — Savannah  taken  by  the  British— 
D'Estaing  arrives  on  the  coast  of  Georgia — Attack  on  Savannah  by  the  combined 
American  and  French  Forces — They  are  repulsed — D'Estaing  sails  for  France — 
Daring  Enterprise  executed  by  Colonel  John  White. 

"  Wo  for  the  land  thou  trampiest  o'er, 
Death-dealing  fiend  of  war '." 

THE  south,  which  had  been  exempt  from  hostile  operations 
ever  since  the  enemy  made  the  unsuccessful  attempt  upon 
Charleston,  was  destined  once  more  to  become  the  theatre  of 
war.  Georgia  being  the  \veakest  state  in  the  south,  prudence 
dictated  to  an  enemy,  becoming  rather  cautious,  to  make  that 
the  first  point  of  attack.  In  November,  Colonel  Campbell 
was  despatched  from  New  York,  by  Clinton,  with  2500  men, 
against  Savannah,  which  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
together  with  the  state  itself,  after  a  short  resistance  made 
by  the  American  General  Howe,  with  a  force  consisting  of 
only  600  continentals  and  a  few  hundred  militia. 

In  the  succeeding  year,  an  attempt  wras  made  to  recover 
Savannah.  Count  D'Estaing,  who  had  sailed  to  the  West 
Indies,  to  strike  at  the  British  power  there,  returned  to  co 
operate  with  the  Americans.  In  September,  1779,  he  ar 
rived  so  unexpectedly  upon  the  coast  of  Georgia,  that  a  Bri 
tish  vessel  of  fifty  guns,  and  three  frigates,  fell  into  his  hands. 
General  Lincoln,  who  had  been  appointed  by  Congress  to 
take  charge  of  the  army  of  the  south,  on  receiving  intelli 
gence  that  D'Estaing  had  arrived,  marched  to  co-operate 


428  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1779. 

with  him.  Before  the  arrival  of  Lincoln,  the  Count  had  de 
manded  the  surrender  of  the  town.  General  Prevost,  the 
English  commander,  requested  a  day  to  consider  upon  the 
matter,  which  was  very  imprudently  granted.  A  reinforce 
ment  arrived,  and  the  enemy  bid  defiance  to  the  Count.  On 

I  the  arrival  of  Lincoln,  preparations  were  made  for  a  siege. 

I  At  length  an  assault  was  made  by  D'Estaing  and  Lincoln, 
in  which  they  suifered  so  severely,  that  the  siege  was  raised, 

I  and  the  count  re-embarked  and  left  America. 

"  While  the  siege  of  Savannah  was  pending,   one  of  the 

I  most  extraordinary  enterprises  ever  related  in  history,  one, 
indeed,  which  nothing  but  the  respectability  of  the  testimony 
could  have  prevented  our  considering  as  marvellous,  occurred. 

|  It  was  an  enterprise  conceived  and  executed  by  Colonel  John 
White,  of  the  Georgia  line.  A  Captain  French,  of  Delancey's 
first  battalion,  was  posted,  with  100  men,  British  regulars,  on 
the  Ogeechee  river,  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Savannah. 
There  lay  also,  at  the  same  place,  five  armed  vessels,  the 

|  largest  mounting  fourteen  guns,  and  having  on  board,  alto 
gether,  forty-one  men.  Colonel  White,  with  Captain  Etholm, 
three  soldiers,  and  his  own  servant,  approached  this  post  on 
the  evening  of  the  30th  of  September,  kindled  a  number  of 
fires,  arranging  them  in  the  manner  of  a  large  camp,  and 
summoned  French  to  surrender ;  he  and  his  comrades  riding 
about  in  various  directions,  and  giving  orders  in  a  loud  voice, 
as  if  performing  the  duties  of  the  staff  to  a  large  army. 
French,  not  doubting  the  reality  of  what  he  saw,  and  anxious 
to  spare  the  effusion  of  blood,  which  a  contest  with  a  force  so 
superior  would  produce,  surrendered  the  whole  detachment, 
together  with  the  crews  of  the  five  vessels,  amounting,  in  all, 
to  141  men,  and  130  stand  of  arms ! 

"  Colonel  White  had  still,  however,  a  very  difficult  game  to 
play ;  it  was  necessary  to  keep  up  the  delusion  of  Captain 
French  until  the  prisoners  should  be  secured ;  and,  with  this 
view,  he  pretended  that  the  animosity  of  his  troops  was  so 
ungovernable,  that  a  little  stratagem  would  be  necessary  to 
save  the  prisoners  from  their  fury,  and  that  he  should,  there 
fore,  commit  them  to  the  care  of  three  guides,  with  orders  to 


1779.]  REVOLUTION.  429 


conduct  them  to  a  place  of  safety.  With  many  thanks  for 
the  Colonel's  humanity,  French  accepted  the  proposition,  and 
marched  off  at  a  quick  pace,  under  the  direction  of  the  three 
guides,  fearful,  at  every  step,  that  the  rage  of  White's  troops 
would  burst  upon  them,  in  defiance  of  his  humane  attempts 
to  restrain  them.  White,  as  soon  as  they  were  out  of  sight, 
employed  himself  in  collecting  the  militia  of  the  neighbour 
hood,  with  whom  he  overtook  his  prisoners,  and  they  were 
conducted,  in  safety,  for  twenty-five  miles,  to  an  American 
fort."— Allen, 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

Shameful  Outrages  of  the  British — Piratical  Expedition  against  Virginia — Devas 
tation  of  the  Country — Expedition  against  Connecticut — New  Haven  plundered — 
Fairfield,  Norwalk,  and  Greenland  burned — Horrid  Brutalities  committed  by  the 
British  Troops — Putnam  attacked  by  Governor  Tryon — Wonderful  Escape  of 
Putnarn. 

"  O  pardon  me,  thou  bleeding  piece  of  earth, 
That  I  am  meek  and  gentle  with  these  butchers," 

UNABLE  to  subdue  the  American  armies^  the  British  now 
commenced  a  shameful  war  upon  the  peaceful  inhabitants, 
and  began  to  lay  waste  a  country  they  could  not  conquer. 

One  of  these  piratical  expeditions  was  directed  against 
Virginia,  where  their  course  was  marked  by  cruelty  and 
devastation ;  burning  everything  they  could  not  carry  away, 
until  the  country,  as  far  as  they  proceeded,  was  converted 
into  one  vast  scene  of  smoking  ruins. 

A  similar  expedition  was  projected  against  the  ports  of 
Connecticut.  This  was  placed  under  the  command  of  Gov 
ernor  Tryon.  After  plundering  New  Haven,  he  proceeded 
to  Fairfield,  Norwalk,  and  Greenland,  which  he  committed  to 
the  flames. 

"  In  an  account  of  the  devastations  made  by  the  English 
in  this  expedition,  which  was  transmitted  to  Congress,  it  ap 
peared  that  at  Fairfield  there  were  burnt  two  houses  of  pub 
lic  worship,  fifteen  dwelling-houses,  eleven  barns,  and  several 


430  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1779. 


stores.  At  Norwalk,  two  houses  of  public  worship,  eighty 
dwelling-houses,  seventy-seven  barns,  twenty-two  stores, 
seventeen  shops,  four  mills  and  five  vessels.  In  addition  to 
this  wanton  destruction  of  property,  various  were  the  acts  of 
brutality,  rapine,  and  cruelty,  committed  on  aged  persons, 
women,  and  prisoners.  At  New  Haven,  an  aged  citizen,  who 
laboured  under  a  natural  inability  of  speech,  had  his  tongue 
cut  out  by  one  of  the  royal  army.  At  Fairfield,  the  deserted 
houses  of  the  inhabitants  were  entered ;  desks,  trunks,  clo 
sets,  and  chests,  were  broken  open  and  robbed  of  everything 
valuable.  Women  were  insulted,  abused,  and  threatened, 
while  their  apparel  was  taken  from  them.  Even  an  infant 
was  robbed  of  its  clothes,  while  a  bayonet  was  pointed  at  the 
breast  of  its  mother. 

"About  this  time  General  Putnam,  who  had  been  stationed 
with  a  respectable  force  at  Reading,  in  Connecticut,  then  on 
a  visit  to  his  outpost,  at  Horse  Neck,  was  attacked  by  Gover 
nor  Tryon  with  1500  men.  Putnam  had  only  a  picket  of 
150  men,  and  two  field-pieces,  without  horses  or  drag-ropes. 
He,  however,  placed  his  cannon  on  the  high  ground,  near  the 
meeting-house,  and  continued  to  pour  in  upon  the  advancing 
foe,  until  the  enemy's  horse  appeared  upon  a  charge.  The 
general  now  hastily  ordered  his  men  to  retreat  to  a  neigh 
bouring  swamp,  inaccessible  to  horse,  while  he  himself  put 
spurs  to  his  steed,  and  plunged  down  the  precipice  at  the 
church.  This  is  so  steep  as  to  have  artificial  stairs,  composed 
of  nearly  one  hundred  stone  steps,  for  the  accommodation  of 
worshippers  ascending  to  the  sanctuary.  On  the  arrival  of 
the  dragoons  at  the  brow  of  the  hill,  they  paused,  thinking  it 
too  dangerous  to  follow  the  steps  of  the  adventurous  hero. 
Before  any  could  go  round  the  hill  and  descend,  Putnam  had 
escaped,  uninjured  by  the  many  balls  which  were  fired  at 
him  in  his  descent;  but  one  touched  him,  and  that  only 
passed  through  his  hat.  He  proceeded  to  Stamford,  where, 
having  strengthened  his  picket  with  some  militia,  he  boldly 
faced  about  and  pursued  Governor  Tryon  on  his  return." 


1779.]  REVOLUTION.  431 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Storming  of  Stony  Point. 

"  His  brandishM  sword  did  blind  men  with  its  beams  ; 
His  arms  spread  wider  than  a  dragon's  wings : 
His  sparkling  eyes,  replete  with  awful  fire, 
More  dazzled,  and  drove  back  his  enemies, 
Than  mid-day  sun  fierce  bent  against  their  faces. 
What  should  I  say  ?     His  deeds  exceed  all  speech : 
He  ne'er  lift  up  his  hand  but  conquer'd." 

THE  suffering  inhabitants  in  various  parts  of  the  country 
called  loudly  upon  Washington  for  troops  to  defend  them ; 
but  he  still  kept  his  army  concentrated  on  both  banks  of  the 
Hudson,  at  some  distance  from  New  York,  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  taking  West  Point,  a  place  of  great  importance, 
situated  sixty  miles  above  New  York. 

While  the  enemy  were  engaged  in  a  predatory  warfare, 
an  expedition  was  planned  and  executed,  which,  in  boldness 
and  intrepidity,  wras  not  exceeded  by  any  enterprise  in  the 
history  of  our  wars.  This  was  the  storming  of  Stony  Point, 
forty  miles  north  of  New  York,  on  the  Hudson. 

"  The  English  had  laboured  with  such  industry  in  finishing 
the  works  at  Stony  Point,  that  they  had  already  reduced  that 
rock  to  the  condition  of  a  real  fortress.  They  had  furnished 
it  with  a  numerous  and  selected  garrison.  The  stores  were 
abundant ;  the  defensive  preparations  formidable.  These 
considerations  could  not,  however,  discourage  Washington 
from  forming  the  design  to  surprise  the  fort.  He  charged 
General  Wayne  with  the  attack,  whom  he  provided  with  a 
strong  detachment  of  the  most  enterprising  and  veteran 
infantry  in  all  his  army. 

"  These  troops  set  out  on  their  expedition  on  the  15th  of 
July,  and,  having  accomplished  their  march  over  high  moun 
tains,  through  deep  morasses,  difficult  defiles,  and  roads  ex 
ceedingly  ban!  and  narrow,  arrived  about  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening  within  a  mile  of  Stony  Point.  General  Wayne  then 


432  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1779. 


halted  to  reconnoitre  the  works,  and  to  observe  the  situation 
of  the  garrison.  The  English,  however,  did  not  perceive 
him.  He  formed  his  corps  in  two  columns,  and  put  himself 
at  the  head  of  the  right.  It  was  preceded  by  a  vanguard  of 
150  picked  men,  commanded  by  that»brave  and  adventurous 
Frenchman,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fleury.  This  vanguard  was 
itself  guided  by  a  forlorn  hope  of  about  20,  led  by  Lieute 
nant  Gibbon.  The  column  on  the  left,  conducted  by  Major 
Stewart,  had  a  similar  vanguard,  also  preceded  by  a  forlorn 
hope  under  Lieutenant  Knox.  These  forlorn  hopes,  among 
other  offices,  were  particularly  intended  to  remove  the  abattis 
and  other  obstructions,  which  lay  in  the  way  of  the  succeed 
ing  troops.  General  Wayne  directed  both  columns  to  march 
in  order  and  silence,  with  unloaded  muskets  and  fixed  bayo 
nets.  At  midnight  they  arrived  under  the  walls  of  the  fort. 
The  two  columns  attacked  upon  the  flanks,  while  Major  Mur- 
fee  engaged  the  attention  of  the  garrison  by  a  feint  in  their 
front.  An  unexpected  obstacle  presented  itself;  the  deep 
morass  which  covered  the  works  was  at  this  time  overflowed 
by  the  tide.  The  English  opened  a  most  tremendous  fire  of 
musketry,  and  of  cannon  loaded  with  grape-shot ;  but  neither 
the  inundated  morass,  nor  a  double  palisade,  nor  the  bas- 
tioned  ramparts,  nor  the  storm  of  fire  that  was  poured  from 
them,  could  arrest  the  impetuosity  of  the  Americans ;  they 
opened  their  way  with  the  bayonet,  prostrated  whatever  op 
posed  them,  scaled  the  fort,  and  the  two  columns  met  in  the 
centre  of  the  works.  General  Wayne  received  a  contusion 
in  the  head,  by  a  musket-ball,  as  he  passed  the  last  abattis ; 
Colonel  Fleury  struck  with  his  own  hand  the  royal  standard 
that  waved  upon  the  walls.  Of  the  forlorn  hope  of  Gibbon, 
17  out  of  the  20  perished  in  the  attack.  The  English  lost 
upwards  of  600  men  in  killed  and  prisoners.  The  conquerors 
abstained  from  pillage  and  from  all  disorder ;  a  conduct  the 
more  worthy  to  be  commended,  as  they  had  still  present  in 
mind  the  ravages  and  butcheries  which  their  enemies  had  so 
recently  committed  in  Carolina,  in  Connecticut,  and  in  Vir 
ginia.  Humanity  imparted  new  effulgence  to  the  victory 
which  valour  had  obtained," 


1779.]  REVOLUTION.  433 

"  But  Hudson  still,  with  his  interior  tide, 
Laves  a  rude  rock  that  bears  Britannia's  pride, 
Swells  round  the  headland  with  indignant  roar, 
And  mocks  her  thunders  from  his  murmuring  show  j 
When  a  firm  cohort  starts  from  Peekskill  plain, 
To  crush  the  invaders  and  the  post  regain. 
Here,  gallant  Hull,  again  thy  sword  is  tried, 
Meigs,  Fleury,  Butler,  labouring  side  by  side : 
Wayne  takes  the  guidance,  culls  the  vigorous  band, 
Strikes  out  the  flint,  and  bids  the  nervous  hand 
Trust  the  mute  bayonet  and  midnight  skies, 
To  stretch  o'er  craggy  walls  the  dark  surprise* 
With  axes,  handspikes  on  the  shoulder  hung, 
And  the  sly  watchword,  whisper'd  from  the  tongue, 
Through  different  paths  the  silent  march  they  takev 
Plunge,  climb  the  ditch,  the  palisado  break, 
Secure  each  sentinel,  each  picket  shun, 
Grope  the  dim  postern  where  the  by-ways  run. 
Soon  the  roused  garrison  perceives  its  plight ; 
Small  time  to  rally  and  no  means  of  flight, 
They  spring,  confused,  to  every  post  they  know, 
Point  their  poised  cannon  where  they  hear  the  foe, 
Streak  the  dark  welkin  with  the  flames  they  pour, 
And  rock  the  mountain  with  convulsive  roar. 

The  swift  assailants  still  no  fire  return, 
But,  toward  the  batteries  that  above  them  burn* 
Climb  hard  from  crag  to  crag ;  and,  scaling  higher. 
They  pierce  the  long,  dense  canopy  of  fire 
That  sheeted  all  the  sky ;  then  rush  amain, 
Storm  every  outwork,  each  dread  summit  gain* 
Hew  timber'd  gates,  the  sullen  drawbridge  fall, 
File  through,  and  form  within  the  sounding  wall, 
The  Britons  strike  their  flag,  the  fort  forego, 
Descend,  sad  prisoners,  to  the  plain  below, 
A  thousand  veterans,  ere  the  morning  rose, 
Received  their  handcuffs  from  five  hundred  foea  j 
And  Stony  Point  beheld,  with  dawning  day, 
His  own  starr'd  standard  on  his  ramparts  play.'* 


434  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1779. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

Operations  against  ihe  Indians. 


Since  brevity  is  the  soul  of  wit. 


And  tediousness  the  limbs  and  outward  flourishes, 
I  will  be  brief." 

THE  period  had  now  arrived  to  chastise  the  Indians  for  the 
fiendish  outrages  they  had  committed.  General  Sullivan, 
with  between  4000  and  5000  men,  marched  up  the  Susque- 
hanna  and  attacked  the  savages  in  well-constructed  fortifica 
tions.  They  made  a  fierce  resistance,  but,  being  overpowered, 
they  fled  like  a  herd  of  buffaloes.  Sullivan,  according  to  his 
instructions,  laid  waste  their  country.  He  burned  forty 
villages  and  destroyed  160,000  bushels  of  corn. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Campaign  of  -Inactivity  of  both  Parties — Pecuniary  Difficulties  of  the 

American  Go\<  "-t — Sir  Henry  Clinton  despatches  an  Expedition  against 
Charleston — Furx.  >  Assault  on  the  Town — Lincoln  refuses  to  surrender — Assault 
renewed — Capitulation — Operations  of  General  Wadsworth  in  the  North — Sur 
prised  and  taken  Prisoner — Wonderful  Escape  and  subsequent  Adventures  of 
General  Wadsworth  and  Major  Burton. 

u  Observe  yon  tree  in  your  neighbours  garden,''  said  Xanoni  to  Viola. 
"Look  how  it  grows  up.  *  *  *  Some  wind  scattered  the  germ,  from 
which  it  sprung,  in  the  clefts  of  the  rocks ;  choked  up  and  walled  round  by 
crags  and  buildings,  by  nature  and  by  man,  its  life  has  been  one  struggle 
for  the  light;  light,  which  makes  to  that  life  the  necessity  and  the  principle. 
You  see  how  it  has  writhed  and  twisted ;  how,  meeting  with  barriers  in 
one  spot,  it  has  laboured  and  worked,  stem  and  branches,  towards  the  clear 
skies  at  last.  *  *  *  Why  are  its  leaves  as  green  and  as  fair  as  the 
vine  behind  you,  which,  with  all  its  arms,  can  embrace  the  open  sunshine? 
*  *  Because  of  the  very  instinct  that  impelled  the  struggle:  because  the 
labour  for  the  light  won  to  the  light  at  length.  So  with  a  gallant  heart,  through 
every  adverse  accident  of  sorrow  and  of  fate  to  turn  to  the  sun,  to  strive 
for  the  heaven ;  that  it  is  that  giyes  knowledge  to  the  strong  and  happiness 


1779-80.] 


REVOLUTION. 


435 


to  the  weak.  Ere  we  meet  again,  you  will  turn  sad  and  heavy  eyes  to  those 
quiet  boughs;  and,  when  you  hear  the  birds  sing  from  them,  and  see  the 
sunshine  come  slant  from  crag  and  house-top,  to  be  the  playfellow  of  their 
leaves,  learn  the  lesson  that  nature  teaches  you,  and  strive  through  darkness 
to  light  /•' 

THE  year  1779  was  distinguished  for  the  feeble  exertions 
of  both  parties.  Count  D'Estaing,  though  unsuccessful  on 
the  American  coast,  had  kept  the  British  in  check  with  his 
powerful  fleet,  and,  in  his  visit  to  the  West  Indies,  where  he 
captured  two  islands,  actually  drew  the  British  fleet  after 
him. 

The  activity  of  the  Americans  was  lessened,  partly  by  the 
disappointment  occasioned  by  the  failure  of  the  French  fleet, 
and  partly  by  the  depreciation  of  their  paper  currency. 
Loans  were  difficult  to  negotiate,  from  the  uncertainty  of  the 
issue  of  the  war,  and  taxation  was  rather  a  dangerous  expe 
riment,  at  this  period,  for  very  obvious  reasons. 

After   receiving  certain  information  of  the  departure  of 
D'Estaing,  Sir  Henry  Clinton  set  on  foot  an  expedition  for 
the  reduction  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina.     Committing 
the  garrison  of  New  York  to  General  Knyphausen,  he  em 
barked  with  a  force  of  between  7000  and  8000  men,  on  the 
26th  of  December.     A  violent  tempest  arose,  which  dispersed 
the  whole  fleet,  and  damaged  most  of  the  vessels.    About  the 
end  of  January,  1780,  the  ships  arrived  at  Tybee,  in  Georgia, 
the  appointed  place  of  rendezvous,  like  scattered  wild  geese,  ] 
with  ruffled  plumage.    Some  of  their  vessels  \vere  intercepted  I 
by  the   Americans.     One  transport   foundered   with  all  its 
lading :  the  horses  on  board  nearly  all  perished.    The  dispersed  | 
troops  having  re-assembled  in  Georgia,  their  injuries  were 
repaired  by  the  troops  of  Savannah;   and,  on  the  10th  of 
February,  they  set  sail  from  Tybee  to  North  Edisto,  a  river  ] 
which  empties  itself  into  the  sea  near  the  Isle  of  St.  John, 
upon  the  coast  of  South  Carolina.     On  this  island  the  troops 
were  disembarked,  about  thirty  miles  from  Charleston.    Part 
of  the  fleet  was  now  sent  round  to  block  up  the  harbour  of  1 
Charleston  by  sea,  while  the  troops  advanced  through  the 
country,  passing  from  John's  to  James's  Island  ?  and  thence 


436  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY,  [1779-80. 


over  Wappoo  Cut  to  the  main  land,  and  proceeded  to  Ashley 
river,  opposite  Charleston.  On  the  29th  of  March,  they 
began  to  cross  the  river,  and  were  soon  landed  on  Charleston 
Neck,  twelve  miles  above  the  town. 

In  the  meantime.  General  Lincoln  and  John  Rutledge, 
governor  of  the  state,  made  great  preparations  to  defend  the 
city.  The  fortifications  were  pushed  with  indefatigable  in 
dustry.  A  chain  of  redoubts,  lines,  and  batteries,  soon  ex 
tended  from  Ashley  to  Cooper  river,  upon  which  were  mounted 
upwards  of  eighty  pieces  of  cannon  and  mortars.  In  front 
of  the  line  they  dug  a  canal,  and  filled  it  with  water.  In 
front  of  either  flank,  the  works  were  covered  by  swamps, 
forming  natural  impediments,  where  the  artificial  ended. 
Between  these  impediments  and  the  works,  were  two  rows 
of  abattis,  the  trees  being  buried  slanting  in  the  earth,  with 
their  heads  outwards,  and  these  works  were  further  secured 
by  a  double-picketed  ditch.  In  the  centre,  where  the  natural 
defences  were  not  equal  to  those  of  the  flanks,  was  a  horn- 
work  of  masonry,  forming  a  kind  of  citadel.  This  was  the 
only  side  on  which  the  city  could  be  approached  by  land ; 
but  towards  the  water,  the  Americans  had  numerous  batteries, 
covered  with  artillery,  to  prevent  the  approach  of  ships. 

The  enemy,  who,  in  crossing  the  Ashley  river,  had  cut  off 
all  communication,  by  land,  from  the  Americans,  now  ap 
proached  the  town,  and  on  the  night  of  the  1st  of  April,  they 
broke  ground  within  800  yards  of  the  American  works ;  and 
in  another  week  their  guns  were  mounted  in  battery.  Taking 
advantage  of  the  wind  and  tide,  Admiral  Arbuthnot  passed 
fort  Moultrie,  under  press  of  sail,  and  took  his  station  within 
cannon-shot  of  Charleston.  Colonel  Pinckney,  with  a  re 
spectable  force,  had  opened  all  his  artillery  upon  the  British 
vessels  as  they  passed  the  fort ;  but,  so  rapid  was  their  pass 
age,  that  they  sustained  but  little  damage.  Thus  invested  by 
sea  and  land,  Lincoln  was  summoned  to  surrender.  The  fatal 
consequences  of  a  cannonade  and  storm  were  held  out  in  the 
summons  ;  and  the  present  as  the  only  favourable  opportunity 
to  preserve  the  lives  and  property  of  the  inhabitants.  Lincoln 
answered : — "  Sixty  days  have  passed  since  it  has  been  known 


1779-80.]  REVOLUTION.  437 


that  your  intentions  against  this  town  were  hostile,  in  which 
time  has  been  afforded  to  abandon  it ;  but  duty  and  inclina 
tion  point  to  the  propriety  of  supporting  it  to  the  last  ex 
tremity." 

The  batteries  of  the  first  parallel  were  now  opened  upon 
the  town,  and  the  Americans  answered  in  a  most  spirited 
manner.  A  second  parallel  was  completed,  nearer  than  the 
first,  and  furnished  with  batteries ;  and,  at  last,  a  third,  close 
to  the  American  works.  Prepared  to  commence  the  bom 
bardment  of  the  town,  Clinton  again  summoned  Lincoln  to 
surrender.  A  negotiation  was  opened,  but  the  English  com 
mander  insisted  that  the  town  should  surrender  at  discretion ; 
agreeing  to  nothing  further,  as  to  private  property,  than  that 
it  should  be  preserved  from  pillage ;  while  the  American  com 
mander  required  not  only  that  the  citizens  and  militia  should 
be  free  with  respect  to  their  persons,  but  that  they  should  also 
be  permitted  to  sell  their  property,  and  retire  with  the  proceeds 
wherever  they  might  see  fit.  The  conferences  were  broken 
off,  and  hostilities  recommenced. 

The  American  fortifications  were  now  battered  down  with 
the  heavy  artillery  of  the  enemy ;  the  town  was  overwhelmed 
with  bombs  and  carcasses,  and  the  flames  began  to  spread  on 
every  side. 

44  The  bold  beleaguer'd  post  the  hero  gains, 
And  the  hard  siege  with  various  fate  sustains ; 
Cornwallis,  towering  at  the  British  van, 
In  these  fierce  toils  his  wild  career  began ; 
He  mounts  the  forky  streams,  and  soon  bestrides 
The  narrow  neck  that  parts  converging  tides, 
Sinks  the  deep  trench,  erects  the  mantling  tower, 
Lines  with  strong  forts  the  desolated  shore, 
Hems  on  all  sides  the  long  unsuccour'd  place, 
With  mines  and  parallels  contracts  the  space ; 
Then  bids  the  battering  floats  his  labours  crown, 
And  pour  their  bombard  on  the  shuddering  town. 
High  from  the  decks  the  mortar's  bursting  firee 
Sweep  the  full  streets,  and  splinter  down  the  spires. 
Blaze-trailing  fuses  vault  the  night's  dim  round, 
And  shells  and  langrange  lacerate  the  ground  ; 
Till  all  the  tented  plain,  where  heroes  tread, 
Is  torn  with  crags  and  covered  with  the  dead. 

2M* 


438  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY-  [1779-80. 

Eaeii  shower  of  flames  renews  the  townsmen's  woe ; 
They  waii  the  fight,  they  dread  the  cruel  foe. 
Matrons  in  crowds,  while  tears  bedew  their  charms, 
Babes  at  their  sides  and  infants  in  their  arms, 
Press  round  their  Lincoln,  and  his  hand  implore 
To  save  them,  trembling",  from  the  tyrant's  power. 
He  shares  their  anguish  with  a  moistening  eye, 
And  bids  the  balls  rain  thicker  through  the  sky  ; 
Tries  every  aid  that  art  and  valour  yield, 
The  sap,  the  countermine,  the  battling  field, 
The  bold  sortie,  by  famine  urged  afar, 
That  dreadful  daughter  of  earth-wasting  War. 
But  vain  the  conflict  now ;  on  all  the  shore, 
The  foes  in  fresh  brigades  around  him  pour ; 
He  yields,  at  last,  the  well-contested  prize, 
And  freedom's  banners  quit  the  southern  skies." 

The  works  nearly  destroyed,  his  retreat  and  provisions  cut 
off,  the  city  menaced  with  an  assault,  which  the  engineers 
considered  it  impossible  to  sustain ;  the  citizens  calling  aloud 
for  a  surrender,  Lincoln,  in  this  deplorable  extremity,  yielded 
to  the  enemy.  The  capitulation  was  signed  on  the  12th  of 
May ;  and  the  American  army,  amounting  to  5000  men, 
with  the  inhabitants  of  the  place,  and  400  pieces  of  artillery, 
were  surrendered  to  the  British.  The  Americans  were  al 
lowed  some  of  the  honours  of  war  ;  and  just  the  same  honours 
were  afterwards  granted  to  Cornwallis  and  his  army  at  York- 
town. 

"  We  shall  interrupt  the  thread  of  our  history  to  relate  the 
personal  adventures  of  Major-General  Wads  worth,  in  the 
district  of  Maine,  during  the  spring  of  this  year.  He  had 
been  sent  by  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts,  to  command 
in  that  part  of  the  country.  Having  attended  to  the  objects 
of  his  mission  during  the  summer  of  '79,  and  the  principal 
part  of  the  succeeding  winter,  he  dismissed  his  troops  towards 
the  end  of  February,  and  began  to  prepare  for  his  return  to 
Boston.  He  had  been  accompanied  during  this  time  by 
Mrs,  Wadsworth,  and  a  friend  of  hers.  Miss  Fenno,  of  that 
place. 

"His  preparations,  however,  were  discovered  by  a  disaffected 


1779-80.]  REVOLUTION.  439 


inhabitant  in  the  neighbourhood,  who  gave  intelligence  to  the 
commander  of  the  British  fort  at  Bagaduce,  and  assured  him 
that  the  general  might  easily  be  made  a  prisoner.  No  time 
was  lost.  Twenty-five  soldiers,  with  the  proper  officers,  were 
soon  embarked  on  board  a  vessel,  in  which  they  proceeded  to 
an  inlet,  four  miles  from  the  general's  quarters.  Here  they 
landed  under  cover  of  night,  and  lying  concealed  till  near 
midnight,  they  proceeded  on  their  destined  purpose. 

"  The  nature  of  the  ground  was  such  as  to  conceal  them 

O 

until  they  had  arrived  at  the  house.  The  sentinel,  being 
surprised,  sprung  into  the  kitchen  door,  and  was  followed  by 
a  volley  from  the  assailants,  and  by  some  of  the  assailants 
themselves.  Another  party  blew  in  the  windows  of  the  gen 
eral's  bed-room,  whilst  a  third  party,  forcing  the  windows  of 
Miss  Fenno,  rushed  into  her  apartment. 

"  The  general's  room  being  barred,  he  determined  to  make 
what  resistance  he  was  able.  Accordingly,  as  the  assailants 
approached  his  apartment,  he  repeatedly  discharged  his  pis 
tols,  a  blunderbuss,  and  fusee.  At  length  a  ball  from  the 
kitchen  broke  his  arm,  and  terminated  the  contest. 

"The  party,  apprehensive  of  danger,  now  retired  in  haste, 
taking  with  them  the  wounded  general,  but  leaving  his  wife 
and  Miss  Fenno  to  emotions  the  most  intense.  After  pro 
ceeding  with  some  difficulty  near  a  mile,  General  Wadsworth 
was  put  on  a  horse,  behind  a  mounted  soldier,  and  being 
warned  that  silence  alone  would  insure  his  safety,  the  party 
at  length  reached  the  vessel,  which  immediately  sailed  for 
the  fort. 

"  Near  the  close  of  the  day  the  party  arrived  with  their 
charge.  General  Wadsworth  landed  amid  the  shouts  of  a 
multitude,  which  had  assembled  to  see  the  man  who  had  justly 
excited  their  admiration,  by  his  enterprises  in  that  quarter, 
and,  under  a  guard,  was  conducted  to  the  officers'  guard 
room.  Here  his  wounds  were  dressed ;  a  room  in  the  officers' 
barracks  was  assigned  him,  and,  through  the  civility  of  Gene 
ral  Campbell,  the  commandant  of  the  fort,  who  often  visited 
him.  his  situation  was  rendered  as  comfortable  as  could  be 
expected. 


440  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1779-80. 


"  General  Wadsworth,  however,  was  a  prisoner  and  alone. 
Nothing  could  supply  the  place  of  freedom,  to  which  a  spirit 
like  his  constantly  aspired :  or  of  domestic  happiness,  which, 
though  a  soldier  of  the  most  ardent  stamp,  he  well  knew  how 
to  appreciate.  Added  to  this,  his  wound,  during  the  first  two 
weeks,  had  become  so  inflamed  as  to  confine  him  entirely  to 
his  room. 

"At  the  eipiration  of  this  time,  he  had  the  happiness  to  hear 
from  his  wife  by  means  of  an  officer,  bearing  a  flag  of  truce, 
who,  at  his  request,  had  been  despatched  by  General  Camp 
bell  with  a  letter  to  her,  and  another  to  the  governor  of 
Massachusetts.  The  intelligence  he  received  from  Mrs. 
Wadsworth,  of  her  safety,  and  especially  that  of  his  little 
son,  who  he  supposed  had  been  killed  the  night  he  was  taken 
prisoner,  was  peculiarly  gratifying.  So  far  from  having  been 
injured,  his  son  had  slept  amidst  all  the  horrors  of  the  scene, 
and  only  knew  of  the  transactions  of  the  dreadful  night,  by 
the  devastation  he  saw  around  him  in  the  morning. 

"At  the  end  of  five  weeks,  when  his  wounds  were  nearly 
healed,  the  general  requested  the  customary  privilege  of  a 
parole.  Circumstances,  however,  existed,  which  rendered  it 
necessary  to  deny  him,  and  he  acquiesced.  About  this  time, 
Mrs.  Wadsworth  and  Miss  Fenno,  under  protection  of  a 
passport  from  General  Campbell,  visited  him.  The  visit 
lasted  ten  days,  to  their  mutual  satisfaction. 

"  In  the  meantime,  orders  respecting  him  had  arrived  from 
the  commanding  general  at  New  York.  Of  the  tenor  of  these 
orders,  General  Wadsworth  was  ignorant,  but  their  unpro- 
pitious  nature  was  indicated  by  the  change  of  conduct  and 
countenance  of  some  of  the  officers.  Miss  Fenno  had  acci 
dentally  learned  their  import,  but  she  carefully  concealed  her 
knowledge  until  the  moment  of  her  departure,  when,  to  pre 
vent  suspicion,  she  barely  said,  "  General  Wadsworth,  take 
care  of  yourself."  From  the  servants,  not  long  after,  he 
learned  that,  instead  of  being  exchanged,  he  was  to  be  sent 
to  England. 

"  In  the  course  of  some  days,  Major  Benjamin  Burton,  a 
brave  officer,  was  conveyed  as  a  prisoner  to  Bagaduce,  and 


1779-80.]  REVOLUTION.  441 


lodged  in  the  same  room  with  General  Wadsworth.  He  con 
firmed  the  report  of  the  servants  respecting  the  transporta 
tion  of  the  general  to  England,  arid  learned,  not  long  after, 
that  he  himself  was  destined  to  a  similar  fate.  The  monitory 
caution  of  Miss  Fenno  was  now  explained,  and  the  general 
plainly  saw  the  importance  of  attending  to  it.  These  officers 
were  not  long  in  deciding  that  they  would  not  cross  the  At 
lantic  ;  and,  though  scarcely  a  ray  of  hope  presented  itself  to 
encourage  them,  they,  nevertheless,  resolved  to  attempt  to 
escape. 

"Bagaduce,  on  which  the  fort  stands,  is  a  peninsula  of  mode 
rate  extent,  washed  by  considerable  waters  on  every  side, 
except  the  sandy  beach  which  connects  it  with  the  main  land 
on  the  west.  The  fort  stands  on  the  middle  of  the  peninsula. 
The  prisoners  were  confined  in  a  grated  room  in  the  officers' 
barracks.  The  walls  of  the  fort,  exclusive  of  the  depth  of 
the  ditch  surrounding  it,  were  twenty  feet  high,  with  fraising 
on  the  top,  and  chevaux-de-frise  below.  Sentinels  were 
stationed  in  every  place  in  and  about  the  fortress,  where  their 
presence  could  be  supposed  to  be  necessary.  Escape,  there 
fore,  seemed  almost  impracticable. 

"After  several  plans  proposed  by  the  prisoners  for  their 
escape,  they  settled,  at  length,  upon  the  following :  As  the 
room  in  which  they  were  confined  was  ceiled  with  boards, 
they  determined  to  cut  off  one  of  these,  so  as  to  admit  their 
entrance.  After  passing  through,  they  proposed  to  creep 
along  one  of  the  joists  to  which  these  boards  were  nailed,  and 
thus  to  pass  over  the  room  adjoining,  which  belonged  to  the 
officers,  until  they  should  come  to  the  middle  entry,  and  then, 
by  a  blanket,  which  was  to  be  taken  with  them,  to  let  them 
selves  down  in  this  entry.  In  case  of  being  observed,  they 
agreed  upon  several  stratagems  to  be  employed,  in  order  that 
their  attempt  might  be  crowned  with  success. 

"  In  agreement  with  this  plan,  after  the  sentinel  had  taken 
the  required  precaution  in  regard  to  the  prisoners,  and  seen 
them  in  bed,  General  Wadsworth  arose  and  attempted  to 
make  the  necessary  incision  into  the  board  with  his  knife; 
but  he  found  the  attempt  useless  and  hazardous,  since  it  could 


442  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1779-80 


be  done  neither  with  the  necessary  expedition  nor  without 
noise.  This  part  of  the  design  was  therefore  abandoned. 
He,  however,  soon  found  means,  through  the  agency  of  a  sol 
dier,  who  was  his  barber,  to  procure  a  gimlet  without  excit 
ing  suspicion  as  to  the  purpose  for  which  he  intended  it. 

"On  the  succeeding  night  they  made  the  attempt  with  their 
gimlet,  but  this  also  occasioned  too  much  noise.  They  re 
solved  next  to  make  the  experiment  in  the  day-time ;  and 
although  two  sentinels,  in  walking  the  entry,  every  moment 
or  two  passed  by  their  door,  which  had  a  glass  window  in  it, 
and  although  they  were  exposed  every  hour  to  the  intrusion 
of  their  servants,  or  of  the  officers  of  the  fort,  they  succeeded 
in  perforating  the  ceiling  from  time  to  time.  The  stratagem 
was  simply  this.  As  the  sentinels  were  in  the  habit  of  pac 
ing  the  entry  backwards  and  forwards,  the  prisoners  would 
commence  the  same  tour  in  their  own  room,  being  careful  to 
keep  time  with  them,  and  both  to  pass  at  the  same  instant  by 
the  glass  door ;  but  as  the  sentinels  had  to  go  twice  the  length 
the  prisoners  had,  this  afforded  an  opportunity  for  one  of  the 
latter  to  be  engaged  with  the  gimlet  in  the  meantime,  and 
then  to  join  his  companion  as  the  sentinels  came  back. 

"In  this  manner  a  sufficient  number  of  holes  were  bored  in 
the  course  of  three  weeks.  The  small  spaces  between  the 
holes  were  cut  with  a  penknife,  except  one  at  each  corner, 
in  order  to  hold  the  piece  in  its  proper  place  till  they  were 
ready  finally  to  remove  it.  The  wounds,  in  the  meantime, 
wrere  covered  over  with  a  paste  made  of  chewed  bread, 
resembling  the  colour  of  the  board,  and  the  dust  was  care 
fully  swept  from  the  floor.  All  this  was  done  without  suspi 
cion  from  any  quarter. 

"  Their  conveyance  to  New  York,  or  Halifax,  and  thence  to 
England,  was  understood  to  be  by  a  privateer,  which  was 
then  on  a  cruise,  but  was  soon  expected  to  return.  Their 
attention,  of  course,  was  arrested  by  everything  which  they 
heard  relative  to  this  vessel,  and  they  made  every  unsuspi 
cious  inquiry  in  their  power,  concerning  the  situation  of  the 
fort,  the  posting  of  the  sentinels,  and  similar  subjects.  The 
information  thus  obtained,  enabled  General  Wadsworth,  who 


1779-80.]  REVOLUTION.  443 


had  previously  some  knowledge  of  the  place,  to  form  a  cor 
rect  view  of  the  whole  ground. 

"During  this  time  they  made  what  little  preparations  they 
were  able,  as  to  provisions,  and  other  things,  that  related  to 
their  intended  escape.  At  the  end  of  three  weeks  they  were 
all  ready.  The  privateer  was  daily  expected  to  return, 
which  would  disconcert  all  their  purposes,  and  they  wished 
nothing  more  than  such  an  opportunity  as  a  dark  and  rainy 
night  would  afford,  in  order  to  their  deliverance.  During  a 
whole  week  no  such  opportunity  offered,  and,  together  with 
this  fact,  some  circumstances,  tending  to  excite  a  belief  that 
their  design  was  suspected,  occurred,  and  rendered  their 
anxiety  extreme. 

"At  length  the  favourable  occasion  was  presented,  A  storm 
on  the  18th  of  June  brought  on  an  unusual  degree  of  dark 
ness  and  rain.  At  about  eleven  o'clock  the  prisoners  retired, 
apparently  to  rest,  while  the  sentinel  was  looking  through 
the  glass  door.  No  sooner,  however,  were  their  lights  extin 
guished,  than  they  arose ;  their  first  object  was  to  cut  the 
corners  of  the  board,  through  which  they  were  to  make  their 
escape.  An  hour  was  spent  in  accomplishing  this  purpose, 
and,  as  it  was  attended  with  considerable  noise,  it  was  not 
done  without  danger. 

"  Burton  first  passed  through  the  aperture.  His  size  ren 
dered  it  a  difficult  attempt.  The  general,  although  smaller, 
found  even  greater  difficulty  from  the  weakness  of  his  arm ; 
but  the  urgency  of  the  case  induced  him  to  put  forth  every 
effort.  By  means  of  a  chair,  on  which  he  stood,  and  a  blan 
ket,  fastened  with  a  skewer  put  through  the  hole,  he  raised 
himself  through,  The  noise  made  by  these  attempts,  and 
even  the  cackling  of  the  fowls  that  roosted  above  the  rooms, 
were  unheeded,  being  drowned  by  the  torrents  of  rain  pour 
ing  incessantly  on  the  roof  of  the  building. 

"By  agreement,  when  Burton  had  reached  the  middle  entry 
he  was  to  wait  for  the  general ;  the  latter,  however,  when  he 
had  gained  the  place,  was  unable  to  find  him ;  but  judging 
from  appearances  that  he  had  escaped  through  the  door,  he 
followed  on.  Passing  partly  round  the  building,  in  order  to 


444  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1779-80. 


gain  the  western  side,  he  felt  his  way  directly  under  the  eaves, 
lest  he  should  strike  against  some  person,  an  event  to  which 
he  was  exposed  in  consequence  of  the  extreme  darkness. 
From  this  point  he  made  his  way  towards  the  neighbouring 
wall  of  the  fort,  but  was  unable  to  climb  the  bank  until  he 
had  found  out  an  oblique  path. 

"Just  as  he  had  gained  the  place  on  the  north  bastion,  where 
Burton  and  himself  had  agreed  to  cross  the  wall,  the  guard 
house  door,  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  fort,  was  thrown  open, 
and  the  words  "  Relief,  turn  out !"  were  distinctly  heard.  At 
this  instant  he  heard  a  scrambling  in  a  contrary  direction, 
which  he  knew  must  be  made  by  his  companion.  This  was 
a  critical  moment.  The  general  was  in  danger  of  being  trod 
on  by  the  guard,  as  they  came  around  on  the  top  of  the  wall, 
and  he  barely  prevented  this  catastrophe,  by  getting  himself 
and  his  wet  blanket  upon  the  fraising,  which  was  the  out 
ward  margin  of  the  wall. 

"After  the  guard  had  passed  on,  by  means  of  his  blanket, 
fastened  round  a  picket  of  the  fraising,  he  let  himself  down 
as  near  the  ground  as  the  length  of  the  blanket  would  admit, 
and  then  let  go  his  hold,  and  fell  without  injury.  Having 
made  several  movements  with  great  silence,  in  order  to  clear 
himself  from  the  works  connected  with  the  fort,  he  at  length 
found  himself  descending  the  declivity  of  the  hill,  into  the 
open  field.  All  this  was  done  not  without  extreme  difficulties, 
owing  to  the  lameness  of  his  arm.  No  indications  appeared 
that  he  was  as  yet  discovered. 

"As  the  rain  and  darkness  continued,  he  groped  his  way  to 
an  old  guard-house  on  the  shore  of  the  back  cove.  At  this 
building  he  and  his  companion  had  agreed  to  meet,  should 
they  have  been  previously  separated.  Burton,  however,  after 
a  long  search,  was  not  to  be  found.  Accordingly  the  general 
prepared  to  cross  the  cove,  and  happily  succeeded,  as  the 
time  was  that  of  low  water.  It  was  now  about  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  he  had  proceeded  a  mile  and  a  half  from 
the  fort.  His  course  lay  up  a  sloping  acclivity,  which  at  the 
time  happened  to  be  overspread  with  trees,  a  circumstance 
that  greatly  impeded  his  progress.  He  proceeded  a  mile 


1779-80.]  REVOLUTION,  445 

over  the  ground  till  he  reached  the  summit,  where  he  found 
a  road,  which,  however,  he  soon  left  for  the  woods,  in  order 
to  make  his  way  to  the  river ;  Here  the  day  dawned,  and  he 
heard  the  reveille  beat  at  the  fort.  At  sunrise  he  reached 
the  eastern  shore  of  the  Penobscot.  Choosing,  however,  not 
to  cross  the  river  at  that  place,  he  continued  his  way  still 
higher  up  at  the  foot  of  the  bank,  passing  near  the  water,  so 
as  to  have  his  steps  washed  by  the  tide,  By  this  means  he 
hoped  to  be  secure  from  the  bloodhounds  kept  at  the  fort. 
Having  reached  a  place  at  a  distance  of  seven  miles  from  the 
fort,  where  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  cross  the  river,  and 
where  he  found  a  canoe  lying  on  the  shore,  he  concluded  to 
rest  for  a  time,  and  dry  his  clothes.  While  in  this  situation, 
what  was  his  joy  to  descry  his  friend  Burton  approaching 
him,  in  the  very  track  which  he  himself  had  taken! 

"  The  major,  after  having  passed  through  the  hole  in  the 
ceiling,  immediately  made  his  way  into  the  second  entry,  and 
concluding  that  his  friend  would  be  unable  to  pass  through 
the  hole,  for  want  of  assistance  in  the  room,  [he  should  have 
pulled  him  up,]  thought  it  best  to  complete  his  escape  alone. 
He  met  with  little  difficulty  till  the  door  of  the  guard-room 
was  suddenly  opened,  and,  supposing  that  a  discovery  had 
taken  place,  he  immediately  leaped  from  the  wall ;  fortu 
nately  receiving  no  injury,  though  his  life  was  singularly  ex 
posed  by  the  leap,  he  easily  escaped  into  the  open  ground, 

"  Mistaking  the  ground  he  should  have  taken,  Burton  sud 
denly  found  himself  near  a  sentinel,  who  was  one  of  a  picket- 
guard,  stationed  not  far  from  the  isthmus.  As,  however,  he 
was  not  perceived,  he  found  means  silently  to  withdraw  from 
his  unwelcome  neighbour,  and  entering  the  water  on  the  side 
of  the  isthmus  next  the  river,  he  passed  over  to  the  opposite 
side,  above  the  picket.  This  undertaking  was  hazardous  in 
the  extreme,  and  cost  him  an  hour's  excessive  toil.  Chilled 
and  exhausted,  he  then  took  his  way  through  the  forest,  which 
the  general  had  taken  before,  and  by  this  means  rejoined  him. 

"  The  two  friends  entered  the  canoe,  and  as  they  were  in 
the  expectation  of  being  pursued  by  the  enemy,  they  pro 
posed  to  cross  the  river  obliquely.  While  executing  this 


446  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1779-80- 

project,  a  barge  belonging  to  the  British  came  in  sight  at  some 
distance.  Circumstances,  however,  favoured  the  concealment 
of  the  officers,  and  by  hard  rowing  they  landed  out  of  reach 
of  their  pursuers.  For  greater  safety  they  abandoned  the 
shore,  and  directed  their  course  through  the  forests  towards 
the  head  of  St.  George's  river.  A  compass  which  Burton 
had  fortunately  retained,  was  their  guide.  Though  greatly 
incommoded  by  the  showers,  heat,  and  the  obstructions  of  a 
forest,  they  travelled  twenty-five  miles  by  sunset. 

"  They  made  less  progress,  however,  the  next  day ;  and,  on 
the  third  day,  General  Wadsworth,  from  soreness,  lameness, 
and  fatigue,  proposed  to  stop  where  he  was,  until  his  friend, 
by  proceeding  onward  to  the  nearest  settlement,  could  bring 
him  relief.  To  this  plan,  however,  Burton  strenuously  ob 
jected.  They  then  both  proposed  to  refresh  themselves  with 
a  little  sleep.  This  they  did  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  found 
the  effect  so  beneficial,  that  they  were  invigorated  to  pursue 
their  journey,  which  they  finished  at  six  o'clock,  P.  M.,  by 
reaching  the  settlements  towards  whi«h  they  had  directed 
their  course.  The  inhabitants  flocked  around  them  with  the 
strongest  expressions  of  joy,  and  having  formed  themselves 
into  a  guard  for  their  protection,  conducted  these  officers  to 
an  inn,  not  far  from  the  place  where  the  general  was  taken 
prisoner.  Parties  of  the  enemy  were  lurking  round  in  order 
to  waylay  them,  and  they  were  saved  from  falling  again  into 
their  hands,  only  by  the  defence  which  was  so  generously 
afforded  them.  Burton  soon  reached  his  family.  General 
Wadsworth  set  out  for  Portland,  where  he  expected  to  find 
Mrs.  Wadsworth.  But  she  and  Miss  Fenno  had  safled  for 
Boston  before  his  arrival. 

"  He  immediately  proceeded  to  join  them  at  that  place.  On 
his  arrival,  he  found  that  they  had  suffered  much  from  want 
of  money  and  friends,  besides  being  nearly  shipwrecked  on 
their  way.  The  past,  however,  was  forgotten  in  the  felicity 
of  the  present,  and  in  gratitude  to  a  kind  Providence,  through 
which  they  had  escaped  perils  both  by  sea  and  land  " — 
Dwight's  Travels. 


1780.]  REVOLUTION.  447 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

Clinton  returns  to  New  York— Lord  Cornwallis  takes  Command  of  the  Army 
of  the  South — Cruelties  committed  by  Cornwallis — Vigorous  Exertions  of  Generals 
Sumpter  and  Marion,  in  Defence  of  their  Country— General  Gates  supersedes 
Lincoln— Battle  of  Camden— Defeat  of  the  Americans— Death  of  Baron  De  Kalb 
— Affairs  in  the  North — Wanton  Outrages  committed  in  New  Jersey  by  Knyp- 
hausen's  Troops — Lafayette  returns  to  America — Cheering  Intelligence  and  bright 
Prospects— Patriotic  Exertions  of  the  Ladies  to  replenish  the  exhausted  Treasury- 
Arrival  of  French  Troops  as  Allies — Clinton  foiled  in  an  important  Enterprise 
— American  Affairs  wear  a  new  aspect. 

"  Rochambeau,  foremost,  with  his  gleamy  brand 
Points  to  each  field  and  singles  every  band, 
Sees  Washington  the  power  of  nations  guide, 
And  longs  to  toil  and  conquer  by  his  side." 

THE  height  of  joy  and  the  depth  of  woe  passed  like  two 
contending  genii  over  the  land,  during  the  summer  of  1780. 

After  the  reduction  of  Charleston,  Clinton  returned  to  New 
York,  and  the  command  of  the  south  was  given  to  Lord 
Cornwallis,  who  adopted  the  most  rigorous  measures  to  keep 
the  people  in  subjection.  But  his  cruelties  aroused  the  indig 
nation  of  the  people,  and  they  flocked  to  the  standard  of  a 
man,  who  rose  up  like  a  giant  in  the  midst  of  oppression,  as 
if  just  to  show  the  world  how  much  freedom  can  do;  and  in 
a  short  time  he  became  truly  formidable  to  the  enemy.  This 
was  General  Sumpter,  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  who  kept 
up  the  spirit  of  the  people  by  many  a  daring  and  successful 
exploit,  until  the  arrival  of  a  respectable  force  from  the 
Middle  States,  to  relieve  their  brethren  of  the  south.  Sumpter 
was  assisted  by  Marion,  whose  deeds  every  schoolboy  knows. 

General  Gates,  who  superseded  General  Lincoln,  now  took 
command  of  the  army  in  the  south,  consisting  of  4000  men, 
of  whom  one-half  were  militia,  from  North  Carolina,  Mary 
land,  and  Virginia. 

Lord  Rawdon,  who  commanded  at  Camden,  120  miles 
north-east  of  Charleston,  finding  that  the  inhabitants  of  South 
Carolina,  on  the  approach  of  Gates,  were  menacing  his  rear, 


448  THE   ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1780. 


while  his  force  was  not  even  sufficient  to  defend  himself 
against  the  approaching  army,  sent  to  Cornwallis  for  assist 
ance.  The  latter  hastened  to  the  relief  of  Rawdon. 

On  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  August,  the  two  armies  met, 
and  a  severe  and  general  engagement  ensued,  in  which  the 
enemy  gained  an  advantage,  though  inferior  in  numbers  in 
the  commencement  of  the  battle.  This  was  owing  to  the 
flight  of  the  militia,  which  so  reduced  the  army  as  to  make  it 
inferior  to  that  of  the  enemy.  Fierce  and  terrible  was  the 
conflict.  The  regulars,  under  Baron  De  Kalb,  who  was  second 
in  command,  defended  themselves  with  the  utmost  gallantry. 
Again  and  again  were  they  led  to  the  charge  by  the  brave  De 
Kalb ;  but,  at  last,  pierced  with  eleven  wounds,  the  hero  fell 
dying  into  the  power  of  the  victors,  while  the  Americans, 
overpowered  by  numbers,  fled  in  every  direction.  The 
battle-field,  the  roads  and  swamps,  for  some  distance,  were 
covered  with  the  wounded  and  slain.  The  number  of  Ame 
ricans  killed,  amounted  to  between  600  and  700,  and  1300  or 
1400  were  taken  prisoners.  The  British  estimated  their  loss, 
in  killed  and  wounded,  at  324 

The  Baron  died,  three  days  after  the  battle,  happy  in  the 
thought  that  he  fell  in  a  cause  so  noble,  and  to  him  so  dear. 
He  had  also  requested  his  aid-de-camp  to  express  to  Generals 
Gist  and  Smallwood,  his  high  sense  of  the  valour  displayed 
by  the  regular  troops  of  Maryland  and  Delaware.  Congress 
ordered  a  monument  to  be  erected  to  his  memory,  at  An 
napolis. 

Gates  was  severely  censured  for  several  great  errors,  the 
most  imprudent  of  which  was  his  changing  his  order  of  battle 
in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  just  as  the  battle  was  about  to 
commence.  "  Cornwallis,  at  sight  of  this  movement,  resolved 
to  profit  by  it  instantly.  Accordingly,  he  ordered  Colonel 
Webster  to  advance  and  make  a  vigorous  attack  upon  those 
troops  that  were  still  undulating,  from  their  not  having  yet 
been  able  to  re-form  their  ranks."  It  is  highly  probable  that 
this  occasioned  the  early  flight  of  the  militia,  and  the  defeat 
of  the  army. 

This  disaster  in  the  south  at  first  spread  a  gloom  over  the 


1780.]  REVOLUTION..  449 


country,  but  this  was  only  temporary,  for  various  reasons, 
one  of  which  was  the  arrival  of  the  French,  in  the  north, 

The  most  brutal  measures  were  now  adopted  by  Cornwall  is 
to  terrify  the  people ;  a  great  number  were  hung  because  they 
were  faithful  to  their  country ;  others  were  imprisoned,  or  had 
their  property  taken  from  them.  Every  kind  of  oppression 
disgraced  this  administration,  which  soon  produced  effects 
contrary  to  those  desired. 

During  this  summer,  the  predatory  incursions  of  the  enemy 
had  again  distressed  the  people  of  the  north.  General  Knyp- 
hausen  had  entered  New  Jersey,  plundering  the  country  and 
burning  villages.  On  arriving  at  Connecticut  Farms,  a  village 
of  about  a  dozen  houses,  and  where  no  resistance  was  made, 
the  enemy  burnt  the  village  and  murdered  the  wife  of  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Caldwell,  in  the  midst  of  her  children,  because  her 
husband,  now  absent,  had  advocated  the  cause  of  freedom ! 

Robbed  of  their  property ;  driven  from  their  homes,  often 
in  ruins ;  their  friends  murdered  and  themselves  threatened 
with  all  the  horrors  of  savage  warfare,  do  the  Americans 
yield  ?  Is  their  feeble  resistance  an  indication  of  despair — 
of  submission  ?  and  have  all  their  toils  and  sufferings  been  in 
vain? 

But,  hark  \  A  terrible  cry  echoes  over  the  land.  Why  do 
the  tyrants  look  pale  1 — It  is  FREEDOM  speaks  in  a  voice  of 
thunder,  and  she  will  be  heard.  See  where  her  sons  are 
coming — the  mountains — the  hills — the  valleys  reply  to  the 
cry  of  vengeance  of  an  exasperated  people.  They  will  be 
free — they  will  drive  these  fiends  from  their  once  peaceful 
homes ;  they  wil!  crush  the  satellites  of  England  with  a  sin 
gle  blow,  and  then  once  more  be  happy. 

Lafayette  had  lately  returned  from  France,  where  he  had 
been  for  a  short  time.  He  brought  the  cheering  intelligence 
that  a  French  army  would  soon  arrive  in  America ;  that  he 
had  seen  the  troops  embarked,  and  had  exerted  himself  to 
accelerate  the  preparations  for  the  expedition.  This  had 
given  another  impulse  to  the  American  people,  and  all  their 
prospects  were  brightening  daily.  Raised  from  the  depths 
of  despair,  by  this  reaction,  to  exhilarating  joy,  the  people 


450 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


[1780. 


were  almost  mad  with  enthusiasm.  Capitalists  subscribed  large 
sums  to  replenish  the  exhausted  public  treasury.  Of  this 
Philadelphia  first  gave  the  example,  and  it  was  soon  followed 
by  all  Pennsylvania,  and  other  provinces.  The  ladies  of  Phi 
ladelphia  formed  a  society,  at  the  head  of  which  they  placed 
Lady  Washington.  They  contributed  to  the  relief  of  the 
state  to  the  extent  of  their  means ;  they  went  from  house  to 
house  to  animate  the  people  to  aid  the  sacred  cause  in  which 
the  country  was  engaged.  And  who  would  not  listen  to  such 
patriotic  orators?  Their  appeals  had  a  power  that  was  irre 
sistible.  Tii-u  ladies  of  other  states  soon  followed  their  ex 
ample,  and  large  sums  were  collected  and  deposited  in  the 
public  treasury. 

In  the  midst  of  this  enthusiasm,  on  the  10th  of  July,  the 
French  arrived  at  Rhode  Island,  which  had  been  abandoned 
|  by  the  British.  Count  Rochambeau,  lieutenant-general  of 
the  armies  of  the  king,  landed  6000  soldiers ;  of  which,  ac 
cording  to  the  agreement  between  the  court  of  Versailles  and 
Congress,  Washington,  as  captain-general,  was  eommander- 
in-chief,  as  well  as  of  the  American  armies.  The  French 
were  received  with  demonstrations  of  joy  by  the  American 
people,  and  every  effort  was  made  to  cultivate  a  permanent 
friendship  ?  *  r  on  the  soldiers  of  the  two  nations. 

Clinton  ro  od  to  attack  the  French  army  at  Newport 
with  a  force  of  6000  men.  The  British  squadron  got  under 
I  sail ;  but  Washington,  now  reinforced  by  his  enthusiastic 
countrymen,  descended  along  the  Hudson  to  J&ngsbridge, 
and  menaced  New  York.  This  brought  Clinton  back  with  all 
his  forces.  Such  a  movement  raised  high  the  morale  of  the 
American  and  French  armies,  now  exulting  in  seeing  a  baf 
fled  enemy  vacillating  between  two  points. 

The  French  had  brought  a  great  deal  of  coin  with  them, 
which  they  spent  very  freely,  resolved  to  make  it  circulate; 
and  this  made  money  plentier,  and  everything  began  to  wear 
a  cheerful  aspect. 


1780.]  REVOLUTION.  451 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Treason  of  Arnold — Arreet  of  Andre — Their  treacherous  Designs  frustrated — 
Arnold  escapes — Execution  of  Andre — Paulding,  Williams,  and  Van  Wert  re 
warded  by  Congress— Price  of  Arnold's  Treason. 

"  Oh  for  a  tongue  to  curse  the  slave, 

Whose  treason,  like  a  deadly  blight, 
Comes  o'er  the  councils  of  the  brave, 

And  blasts  them  in  their  hours  of  might ! 
May  life's  unblessed  cup  for  him 
Be  drugg'd  with  treacheries  to  the  brim, 
With  hopes  that  but  allure  to  fly, 

With  joys  that  vanish  while  he  sips, 
Like  Dead-Sea  fruits,  that  tempt  the  eye, 

But  turn  to  ashes  on  the  lips ! 
His  country's  curse,  his  children's  shame, 
Outcast  of  virtue,  peace,  and  fame, 
May  he,  at  last,  with  lips  of  flame, 
On  the  parch'd  desert  thirsting  die, — 
While  lakes  that  shone  in  mockery  nigh. 
Are  fading  off  untouch'd,  untasted, 
Like  the  once  glorious  hopes  he  blasted  !" 

IT  is  a  painful  task  to  curse  a  man,  and  to  record  his  treason, 
after  he  has  toiled  and  suffered  so  long  and  so  much  in  the 
cause  of  his  country,  as  General  Arnold.  But  the  crime  of 
treason  is  such  an  aggravated  one,  that  no  language  can  ex 
press  the  abhorrence  and  detestation  that  every  honourable 
man  must  feel  of  the  crime  and  the  criminal. 

"  During  some  time,  a  design  had  been  maturing  in  the 
shades  of  mystery,  whose  execution,  had  it  succeeded  to  the 
wish  of  its  authors,  would  have  involved  the  total  ruin  of  the 
army  of  Washington,  and,  perhaps,  the  entire  subjugation  of 
America.  A  single  instant  more,  and  the  work  of  so  many 
years,  cemented  at  such  a  cost  of  gold  and  blood,  might  have 
been  demolished  to  its  foundations  by  a  cause  altogether  un- 
thought  of.  The  English  had  well  nigh,  by  means  of  treason, 
arrived  at  that  object  which,  with  five  years  of  intrigue  and 


452  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1780. 


of  combat,  they  had  not  been  able  to  attain ;  and  it  was  even  j 
at  the  hands  of  the  man  they  least  suspected,  that  the  Ame- ! 
ricans  were  to  have  received  the  most  fatal  blow.  They  had 
but  too  manifest  a  proof,  that  no  confidence  can  be  placed  in! 
courage  when  disunited  from  virtue.  They  learned  that  men  I 
who  displayed  the  most  enthusiasm  for  a  cause,  are  often  also 
those  who  become  the  soonest  unfaithful ;  and  it  should  never  I 
be  forgotten,  that  the  man  without  morals,  who  arrives  at  the; 
first  offices  of  the  republic,  has  no  other  object  but  to  satiate  i 
his  ambition  or  his  cupidity,  at  the  expense  of  his  fellowrciti- 
zens.  If  he  encounter  obstacles,  he  is  ripe  for  deeds  of  vio-; 
lence  within,  and  treason  without.  The  name  of  General; 
Arnold  was  deservedly  dear  to  all  Americans ;  they  considered; 
him  as  one  of  their  most  intrepid  defenders.  Numerous; 
wounds,  and  especially  that  which  had  almost  deprived  him 
of  the  use  of  one  leg,  had  forced  him  to  take  repose  at  his; 
seat  in  the  country. 

"  Congress,  with  the  concurrence  of  Washington,  in  recom 
pense  of  his  services,  appointed  him  commandant  of  Philadel 
phia,  immediately  after  that  city  was  evacuated  by  the  Eng 
lish,  and  returned  to  American  domination.  Here  Arnold 
lived  at  an  enormous  expense,  and  showed  himself  extremely 
grasping  in  order  to  support  it- 

"  Unable  to  support  this  extravagance  from  the  emoluments 
of  his  employment,  he  commenced  speculating?  which  also 
failed.  He  then  began  to  embezzle  the  public  treasure.  The 
government  appointed  commissioners  to  investigate  the 
matter;  and- Arnold,  enraged  at  their  decision,  loaded  them 
with  imprecations,  and  appealed  to  Congress.  But  the  mem 
bers  charged  to  examine  the  accounts  anew,  declared  that  the 
commissioners  had  allowed  him  more  than  he  was  entitled  to. 
This  led  him  to  the  most  bitter  invective,  and  indecent  abuse 
of  Congress.  He  was  also  accused,  by  Pennsylvania,  of 
peculation,  in  converting  to  his  own  use  the  confiscated 
British  merchandise  at  Philadelphia.  He  was  brought  before 
a  court-martial,  and  the  sentence  of  the  court  was,  that  he 
should  be  reprimanded  by  Washington. 

"  Burning  with  revenge,  and  desirous  to  glut  his  thirst  for 


1780.]  DEVOLUTION.  453 


gold,  he  resolved  not  only  to  join  the  enemy,  but  first  solicited 
and  obtained  the  command  of  West  Point,  which  by  great 
labour  and  expense  had  been  rendered  impregnable,  to  intrO' 
duce  the  enemy  into  this  all-important  citadel ! 

"  Having  assumed  the  command,  he  entered  into  negotia 
tions  with  Sir  Henry  Clinton ;  but,  fortunately,  the  plot  was 
discovered  in  time  to  defeat  it,  though  Arnold  escaped  to  the 
enemy.  Major  Andre,  the  agent  of  Clinton,  was  arrested, 
tried,  and  executed  as  a  spy. 

"  Major  Ajidre,  at  this  time  adjutant-general  of  the  British 
army,  was  an  officer,  extremely  young,  but  high-minded, 
brave,  and  accomplished.  He  was  transported  in  a  vessel 
called  the  Vulture,  up  the  North  river,  as  near  to  West  Point 
as  was  practicable,  without  exciting  suspicion.  On  the  21st 
of  September,  at  night,  a  boat  was  sent  from  the  shore  to 
bring  him.  On  its  return,  Arnold  met  him  at  the  beach, 
without  the  posts  of  either  army. 

"  Their  business  was  not  finished,  till  too  near  the  dawn 
of  day  for  Andre  to  return  to  the  Vulture.  He,  therefore, 
lay  concealed  within  the  American  lines.  During  the  day, 
the  Vulture  found  it  necessary  to  change  her  position,  and 
Andre,  not  being  able  now  to  get  on  board,  was  compelled 
to  attempt  his  return  to  New  York  by  land. 

"  Having  changed  his  military  dress  for  a  plain  coat,  and 
received  a  passport  from  Arnold,  under  the  assumed  name 
of  John  Anderson,  he  passed  the  guards  and  outposts  without 
suspicion.  On  arriving  at  Tarry  town,  a  village  thirty  miles 
north  of  New  York,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  first  British  posts, 
he  was  met  by  three  militia  soldiers — John  Paulding,  David 
Williams,  and  Isaac  Van  Wert.  He  showed  them  his  pass 
port,  and  they  suffered  him  to  continue  his  route.  Immedi 
ately  after  this,  one  of  these  three  men,  thinking  that  he  per 
ceived  something  singular  in  the  person  of  the  traveller,  called 
him  back.  Andre  asked  them  where  they  were  from  ?  «  From 
down  below,'  they  replied,  intending  to  say,  from  New  York. 
Too  frank  to  suspect  a  snare,  Andre  immediately  answered, 
'  And  so  am  I.'  Upon  this,  they  arrested  him,  when  he  de 
clared  himself  to  be  a  British  officer,  and  offered  them  his 


454  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1780. 

watch,  and  all  the  gold  he  had  with  him,  to  be  released. 
These  soldiers  were  poor  and  obscure,  but  they  were  not  to 
be  bribed.  Resolutely  refusing  his  offers,  they  conducted 
him  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jameson,  their  command  ing  officer. 

"  Jameson  injudiciously  permitted  Andre,  still  calling  him 
self  Anderson,  to  write  to  Arnold,  who  immediately  escaped 
on  board  the  Vulture,  and  took  refuge  in  New  York. 

"  Washington,  on  his  way  to  head-quarters,  from  Con 
necticut,  where  he  had  been  to  confer  with  Count  de  Rocham- 
beau,  providentially  happened  to  be  at  West  Point  just  at 
this  time.  After  taking  measures  to  insure  the  safety  of  the 
fort,  he  appointed  a  board,  of  which  General  Green  was  pre 
sident,  to  decide  upon  the  condition  and  punishment  of  Andre. 
After  a  patient  hearing  of  the  case,  September  29th,  in  which 
every  feeling  of  kindness,  liberality,  and  generous  sympathy 
was  strongly  evinced,  the  board,  upon  his  own  confession, 
unanimously  pronounced  Andre  a  spy,  and  declared,  that, 
agreeably  to  the  laws  and  usages  of  nations,  he  ought  to  suf 
fer  death. 

"  Major  Andre  had  many  friends  in  the  American  army, 
and  even  Washington  would  have  spared  him,  had  duty  to 
his  country  permitted.  Every  possible  effort  was  made  by 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  in  his  favour,  but  it  was  deemed  impor 
tant  that  the  decision  of  the  board  of  war  should  be  carried 
into  execution.  When  Major  Andre  was  apprized  of  the 
sentence  of  death,  he  made  a  last  appeal,  in  a  letter  to  Wash 
ington,  that  he  might  be  shot,  rather  then  die  on  a  gibbet. 

"  '  Buoyed  above  the  terror  of  death/  said  he,  *  by  the 
consciousness  of  a  life  devoted  to  honourable  pursuits,  and 
stained  with  no  action  that  can  give  me  remorse,  I  trust  that 
the  request  I  make  to  your  excellency  at  this  serious  period, 
and  which  is  to  soften  my  last  moments,  will  not  be  rejected. 
Sympathy  towards  a  soldier  will  surely  induce  your  excel 
lency,  and  a  military  friend,  to  adapt  the  mode  of  my  death 
to  the  feelings  of  a  man  of  honour.  Let  me  hope,  sir,  that  if 
aught  in  my  character  impresses  you  with  esteem  towards 
me,  as  the  victim  of  policy  and  resentment,  I  shall  experience 


1780.]  REVOLUTION  455 

the  operations  of  those  feelings  in  your  breast  by  be  tog  in 
formed  that  I  am  not  to  die  on  a  gibbet.' 

"  This  letter  of  Andre  roused  the  sympathies  of  Washing 
ton,  and  had  he  only  been  concerned,  the  prisoner  would  have 

I  been  pardoned  and  released.  But  the  interests  of  his  coun 
try  were  at  stake,  and  the  sternness  of  justice  demanded  that 
private  feelings  should  be  sacrificed.  Upon  consulting  his  \ 

I  officers  on  the  propriety  of  Major  Andre's  request,  to  receive 
the  death  of  a  soldier, — to  be  shot — it  was  deemed  necessary 
to  deny  it,  and  to  make  him  an  example.  On  the  2d  of  Oc 
tober,  this  unfortunate  young  man  expired  on  the  gallows, 

|  while  foes  and  friends  universally  lamented  his  untimely  end. 
fi  As  a  reward  to  Paulding,  Williams,  and  Van  Wert,  for 

|  their  virtuous  and  patriotic  conduct,  Congress  voted  to  each 
of  them  an  annuity  of  200  dollars  and  a  silver  medal,  on  one 
side  of  which  was  a  shield  with  this  inscription — "  Fidelity,' 
— and  on  the  other,  the  following  motto :  '  Vincit  amor  pa- 
triae' — the  love  of  country  conquers. 

"Arnold,  the  miserable  wretch,  whose  machinations  led  to 
the  melancholy  fate  which  Andre  experienced,  escaped  to 
New  York,  where,  as  the  price  of  his  dishonour,  he  received 
the  commission  of  brigadier  general,  and  the  sum  of  ten 
thousand  pounds  sterling.  This  last  boon  was  the  grand 
secret  of  Arnold's  fa!!  from  virtue;  his  vanity  and  extrava 
gance  had  led  him  into  expenses  which  it  was  neither  in  the 
power  nor  will  of  Congress  to  support  " 


456  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

General  Gates  is  succeeded  by  General  Greene — Takes  the  Field  against  a  supe 
rior  Enemy — Sends  Morgan  to  the  western  part  of  South  Carolina — Cornwallis 
sends  Col.  Tarleton  after  Morgan— Battle  of  the  Cowpens— Terrible  Rout  of  Tarlc- 
ton  and  Destruction  of  his  light  Troops. 

"  I  have  no  words, 

My  voice  is  in  my  sword ;  thou  bloodier  villain 
Than  terms  can  give  thee  out !'' 

AFTER  the  unfortunate  battle  of  Camden,  Gates  made  every 
effort  in  his  power  to  assemble  troops  and  support  the  cause 
of  Congress ;  but  Congress  and  Washington  had  decided  that 
General  Greene  should  be  intrusted  with  the  command  of 
the  southern  provinces.  The  conduct  of  Gates  upon  this 
occasion  was  highly  honourable,  betraying  no  ill  feelings 
whatever ;  and  when  he  passed  through  Richmond,  Virginia, 
he  was  treated  with  marked  attention  and  respect. 

General  Greene  took  the  field,  against  an  enemy  superior 
in  force,  with  an  army  consisting  of  only  2000  men,  more 
than  one-half  of  whom  were  militia.  As  his  intention  was 
merely  to  harass  the  enemy,  avoiding  general  actions*  he 
divided  his  force,  sending  General  Morgan  to  the  western 
part  of  South  Carolina. 

Cornwallis  was  just  on  the  point  of  invading  North  Caro 
lina,  but  deeming  it  imprudent  to  leave  such  a  man  as  Mor 
gan  in  his  rear,  he  sent  Colonel  Tarleton  to  fight  him,  and 
"  to  push  him  to  the  last."  It  so  happened,  however,  that 
Tarleton  got  pushed  very  hard  himself. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1781.  the  two  detachments  met, 
when  the  memorable  battle  of  the  Cowpens  was  fought, 
resulting  in  one  of  the  most  brilliant  victories  achieved  during 
the  revolution. 

As  the  force  of  Morgan  amounted  to  only  about  500  men, 
part  of  whom  were  militia,  while  that  of  Tarleton  consisted 
of  1000,  the  flower  of  the  British  army,  he  retreated  for 
some  time ;  but  arriving  at  the  place  called  the  Cowpens,  and 


1 78 1 .]  REVOLUTION .  457 

finding  himself  hard  pressed  by  Tarleton,  \vhile  a  broad  river 
which  lay  before  him  could  not  be  crossed  in  the  presence  of 
the  enemy  without  very  great  danger,  he  made  a  stand,  resolv 
ing  to  give  battle.  The  troops  were  formed  in  two  divisions ; 
the  militia,  under  Colonel  Pickens,  were  placed  in  front  of  a 
wood,  while  the  second,  under  Colonel  Howard,  was  con 
cealed  in  the  wood ;  these  were  marksmen,  and  old  conti 
nental  troops.  Colonel  Washington,  with  his  cavalry,  was 
stationed  behind  the  second  division,  as  a  reserve.  Tarleton 
came  up  and  formed  in  two  lines,  when  the  battle  commenced. 
The  American  militia  fled  on  the  first  charge.  The  enemy 
fell  on  the  second,  where  a  most  obstinate  resistance  was 
made ;  but  Tarleton  pushing  forward  a  battalion  of  his  second 
line,  and  ordering  a  charge  of  cavalry  on  the  right  flank  of 
the  Americans  at  the  same  time,  they  gave  way  and  were 
thrown  in  disorder.  Colonel  Washington,  who  had  already 
repulsed  an  assault  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  charged  the  ene 
my  with  such  impetuosity,  that  he  restored  the  battle.  In 
the  meantime,  Pickens  and  Howard  had  rallied  their  men, 
who  were  led  back  to  the  fight. 

Taking  advantage  of  this  auspicious  period,  Morgan  made 
a  general  charge,  like  a  lion  rushing  from  the  forest  upon  his 
prey.  The  enemy,  unable  to  sustain  such  a  shock,  first 
paused,  then  recoiled,  and  soon  fled  in  dismay.  The  Ameri 
cans  pursued,  killed,  and  took  prisoners  nearly  the  whole  de 
tachment.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  over  800  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  prisoners.  All  their  baggage,  carriages,  and 
a  great  number  of  horses,  also  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  vic 
tors.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  only  12  killed  and  60 
wounded.  This  astonishing  victory  produced  a  great  effect 
in  reviving  the  courage  of  the  people  of  the  south.  They 
had  been  treated  with  great  cruelty  by  Tarleton,  who  was 
one  of  the  GREATEST  petty  tyrants  that  ever  disgraced  the 
British  name. 

Congress  voted  public  thanks  to  Morgan,  and  presented 
him  with  a  gold  medal.  Colonels  Washington  and  Howard 
received  silver  medals,  and  Colonel  Pickens  a  sword.  These 
four  heroes  reflected  a  lustre  back  upon  Greene,  who  sent  them. 


458  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1781. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Cornwallis  pursues  Morgan  —  Greene  forms  a  Junction  with  him  —  Singular 
Escapes  of  Morgan  by  the  Rising  of  Rivers — Greene  retreats  towards  Virginia — 
Crosses  the  River  Dan — Narrow  Escape — Evades  the  Enemy  and  now  bids  them 
Defiance — The  Enemy  now  barks  at  Greene  in  the  Form  of  a  Proclamation — 
Greene  sends  a  Detachment  across  the  Dan — Re-crosses  the  Dan  himself— Battle 
at  Guilford  Court-House — Greene  leads  his  Forces  to  South  Carolina — Battle  of 
Camden — Battle  of  the  Eutaw  Springs — Cornwallis  marches  to  Virginia. 

"  My  friends,  I  love  your  fame,  I  joy  to  raise 
The  high-toned  anthem  of  my  country's  praise." 

THE  news  of  an  ordinary  defeat  would  have  been  a  great 
affliction  to  Cornwallis ;  but  the  destruction  of  his  light  troops 
at  the  commencement  of  the  campaign,  by  an  inferior  force, 
was  a  blow  that  could  not  be  fully  repaired.  In  order  to 
make  light  troops,  he  was  obliged  to  destroy  his  heavy  bag 
gage  and  carriages,  which  required  two  days.  How  much 
of  this  had  been  stolen  from  the  unarmed  inhabitants,  we  are 
unable  to  say ;  but  the  soldiers  saw  it  destroyed,  we  are  told, 
with  a  very  good  grace. 

Cornwallis  marched  in  pursuit  of  Morgan,  who  had  given 
such  an  uncourteous  reception  to  his  detachment ;  but  Greene, 
penetrating  his  design,  hastened  to  join  Morgan.  The  junc 
tion  was  at  last  effected  at  Guilford  Court-House,  in  North 
Carolina.  Morgan  was  fiercely  pursued  by  an  enemy,  burn 
ing  with  revenge,  and  after  crossing  the  Catawba  river  the 
enemy  appeared  on  the  opposite  bank.  The  rains  which  had 
fallen  raised  the  river,  and  it  was  no  longer  fordable.  By 
throwing  many  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  enemy,  Morgan 
succeeded  in  reaching  the  Yadkin  river ;  and  this  again  he 
crossed  just  in  time  to  escape,  when  another  rain  again  raised 
the  river,  and  prevented  the  immediate  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
After  the  union  of  the  two  generals,  Greene,  of  course,  as 
sumed  the  command,  and,  being  still  inferior  in  numbers,  he 
continued  the  retreat  towards  Virginia. 

Cornwallis,  failing  in  his  extraordinary  efforts  to  prevent  a 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  459 


junction  of  the  American  generals,  sought  to  indemnify  him 
self  for  his  losses,  toils  and  privations,  by  cutting  off  Greene's 
retreat.  The  race  was  now  for  the  river  Dan,  which  sepa 
rated  North  Carolina  from  Virginia.  Cornwallis  hastened  to 
the  high  country,  believing  that  the  river  would  not  be  ford- 
able  in  the  lower  parts.  The  enemy,  after  the  most  prodi 
gious  exertions,  occupied  the  upper  fords  first,  and  Greene 
was  obliged  to  hasten  to  a  lower  ford,  called  Boyd's  Ferry, 
without  knowing  whether  it  was  practicable  or  not.  The 
British  pursued  rapidly,  and  upon  the  passage  of  this  river 
depended  the  safety  of  the  army.  Greene  arrives  at  the 
river  and  finds  it  fordable,  but  the  enemy  are  near.  He 
throws  impediments  in  their  way ;  keeps  up  continual  skir 
mishes,  and  reminds  his  officers  that  on  their  firm  resistance 
depended  the  salvation  of  the  whole  army.  He  reached  the 
opposite  shore  in  safety,  with  all  his  baggage,  and  the  enemy 
appeared  on  the  right  side  of  the  Dan.  But  it  is  too  late. 
They  saw  the  American  army  formed  in  formidable  array  on 
the  opposite  bank.  In  this  imposing  attitude,  with  all  Vir 
ginia  to  aid  them,  Cornwallis  knew  it  would  be  in  vain  to 
attempt  to  conquer  with  his  enfeebled  troops.  The  bright 
visions  of  the  enemy  at  once  vanished,  and  they  retired  to 
Hillsborough  and  issued  a  proclamation. 

The  talents  displayed  in  the  retreat  of  Greene  and  Mor 
gan,  would  have  done  honour  to  any  general  of  ancient  or 
modern  times. 

Greene,  to  guard  against  any  extensive  operations  of  the 
loyalists  of  North  Carolina,  detached  anew,  upon  the  right 
side  of  the  Dan,  a  body  of  cavalry  under  Colonel  Lee.  This 
was  not  only  to  intimidate  the  royalists,  but  to  protect  and 
encourage  the  republicans. 

A  number  of  loyalists  were  assembled  by  Colonel  Pill,  but 
Lee  poon  swallowed  him,  with  his  whole  company,  all  being 
killed  or  taken  prisoners.  Tarleton  now  advanced  against 
Lee,  but  an  order  of  Cornwallis  directed  him  back  to  Hills- 
borough.  The  cause  of  this  was,  that  Greene,  after  receiving 
a  small  reinforcement,  like  a  second  Washington,  had  re- 
crossed  the  Dan,  and  seemed  on  the  point  of  carrying  the 


460  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1781. 


war,  like  a  whirlwind,  over  the  State.  Cornwallis  left  Hills- 
borough,  and,  after  both  generals  had  manreuvred  with  un 
common  abilities  for  a  long  time,  Greene  avoiding  a  general 
action  until  the  arrival  of  his  expected  reinforcements,  the 
two  armies  met  at  Guilford  Court-House ;  but  not  until  the 
American  general  had  received  his  reinforcements,  when  he 
made  the  first  move  against  the  enemy. 

"  On  the  8th  of  March,  a  general  engagement  took  place, 
in  which  victory,  after  alternately  passing  to  the  banners  of 
each  army,  finally  decided  in  favour  of  the  British. 

"  The  British  loss,  in  this  battle,  exceeded  five  hundred  in 
killed  and  wounded,  among  whom  were  several  of  the  most 
distinguished  officers.  The  American  loss  was  about  four 
hundred  in  killed  and  wounded,  of  which  more  than  three- 
fourths  fell  upon  the  continentals.  Though  the  numerical 
[  force  of  General  Greene  nearly  doubled  that  of  Cornwallis, 
yet,  when  we  consider  the  difference  between  these  forces, 
I  the  shameful  conduct  of  the  North  Carolina  militia,  who  fled 
I  at  the  first  fire,  the  desertion  of  the  second  Maryland  regi 
ment,  and  that  a  body  of  reserve  was  not  brought  into  action, 
it  will  appear  that  our  numbers  actually  engaged  but  little 
exceeded  that  of  the  enemy. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  issue  of  the  above  battle,  General 
Greene  took  the  bold  resolution  of  leading  back  his  forces  to 
South  Carolina,  and  of  attacking  the  enemy's  strong  post  at 
Camden,  in  that  State.  Accordingly,  on  the  20th,  he  en 
camped  at  Logtown,  within  sight  of  the  enemy's  works. 
Lord  Rawdon  at  this  time  held  the  command  of  Camden,  and 
had  a  force  of  only  nine  hundred  men.  The  army  of  General 
Greene — a  detachment  having  been  made  for  another  expedi 
tion  under  General  Lee — amounted  scarcely  to  twelve  hun 
dred  men  of  all  classes. 

"  On  the  25th,  Lord  Rawdon  drew  out  his  forces,  and  the 
two  armies  engaged.  For  a  season  victory  seemed  inclined 
to  the  Americans,  but,  in  the  issue,  General  Greene  found 
himself  obliged  to  retreat. 

"  The  American  loss,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  was 
I  two  hundred  and  sixty-eight ;  the  English  loss  was  nearly 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  461 


equal.  The  failure  of  the  victory  in  this  battle  was  not  attri 
butable,  as  in  some  cases,  to  the  flight  of  the  militia,  when 
danger  had  scarcely  begun — but  General  Greene  experienced 
the  mortification  of  seeing  a  regiment  of  veterans  give  way 
to  an  inferior  force,  when  every  circumstance  was  in  their 
favour — the  very  regiment,  too,  which,  at  the  battle  of  the 
Cowpens,  behaved  with  such  heroic  bravery. 

"Although  the  British  arms  gained  the  victory  of  Camden, 
the  result  of  the  whole  was  favourable  to  the  American  cause. 
General  Lee,  with  a  detachment  despatched  for  that  purpose, 
while  Greene  was  marching  against  Camden,  took  possession 
of  an  important  post  at  Mottes,  near  the  confluence  of  the 
Congaree  and  Santee  rivers.  This  auspicious  event  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  evacuation  of  Camden  by  Lord  Rawdon,  and 
of  the  whole  line  of  British  posts,  with  the  exception  of 
Ninety-Six  and  Charleston. 

"  Ninety-Six,  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  miles  north-west 
from  Charleston,  was  garrisoned  by  five  hundred  and  sixty 
men.  Against  this  post,  after  the  battle  of  Camden,  General 
Greene  took  up  his  march,  and  on  the  22d  of  May  sat  down 
before  it.  Soon  after  the  siege  of  it  had  been  commenced, 
intelligence  arrived  that  Lord  Rawdon  had  been  reinforced 
by  troops  from  Ireland,  and  was  on  his  march  with  two  thou 
sand  men  for  its  relief.  Greene  now  determined  upon  an 
assault ;  but  in  this  he  failed,  with  a  loss  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men. 

"  Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Ninety-Six,  Lord  Rawdon  deemed 
it  expedient  to  evacuate  this  post.  Retiring,  himself,  to 
Charleston,  his  army  encamped  at  the  Eutaw  Springs,  forty 
miles  from  Charleston. 

"  General  Greene,  having  retired  to  the  high  hills  of  Sanlee, 
to  spend  the  hot  and  sickly  season,  in  September  approached 
the  enemy  at  the  Eutaw  Springs.  On  the  morning  of  the 
8th,  he  advanced  upon  him,  and  the  battle  between  the  two 
armies  became  general.  The  contest  was  sustained  with 
equal  bravery  on  both  sides — victory  seeming  to  decide  ini 
favour  of  neither* 

"  The  British  lost,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners,  about; 


462  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1781. 


one  thousand  one  hundred.     The  loss  of  the  Americans  was 
five  hundred  and  fifty-five. 

"  The  battle  at  Eutaw  Springs  was  the  last  general  action 
that  took  place  in  South  Carolina,  and  nearly  finished  the 
war  in  that  quarter.  The  enemy  now  retired  to  Charleston. 

"  Thus  closed  the  campaign  of  1781  in  South  Carolina. 
Few  commanders  have  ever  had  greater  difficulties  to  en 
counter  than  General  Greene ;  and  few  have  ever,  with  the 
same  means,  accomplished  so  much.  Though  never  so  deci 
sively  victorious,  yet  the  battles  which  he  fought,  either  from 
necessity  or  choice,  were  always  so  well  managed  as  to  result 
to  his  advantage. 

"  Not  unmindful  of  his  eminent  services,  Congress  pre 
sented  him  with  a  British  standard,  and  a  gold  medal,  em 
blematical  of  the  action  at  the  Eutaw  Springs,  which  restored 
a  sister  State  to  the  American  Union.  Had  it  pleased  Pro 
vidence  to  take  away  Washington  during  the  revolution, 
Greene  would  have  been  his  successor. 

"After  the  battle  of  Guilford,  between  Greene  and  Corn- 
wallis,  noticed  above,  the  latter,  leaving  South  Carolina  in 
charge  of  Lord  Rawdon,  commenced  his  march  towards  Pe 
tersburg,  in  Virginia,  where  he  arrived  on  the  20th  of  May. 
Having  received  several  reinforcements,  he  found  himself 
with  an  army  of  eight  thousand  men,  and  indulged  the  pleas 
ing  anticipations  that  Virginia  would  soon  be  made  to  yield 
to  his  arms." 

While  Colonel  Tarleton  was  making  his  predatory  excur 
sion  through  Virginia,  nine  of  his  men  went  to  a  tavern  to 
rob  and  plunder  as  usual.  Peter  Francisco  became  an  object 
of  their  attention ;  and,  among  other  things,  a  pair  of  shoe- 
buckles  were  found  on  Peter,  which  were  fashionable  in  those 
days.  A  British  officer,  with  drawn  sword,  approached  our 
hero  and  demanded  his  buckles.  Peter,  being  defenceless, 
told  him  to  take  them,  when  the  officer  placed  his  sword  un 
der  his  arm  and  stooped  to  take  them  from  Peter's  shoes. 
Peter  was  one  of  the  strongest  men  in  the  State ;  and,  watch 
ing  his  opportunity,  he  very  slyly  took  the  sword  from  under 
the  arm  of  the  Briton  and  laid  him  at  his  feet ;  then  falling 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  463 


upon  the  rest,  he  dealt  destruction  on  all  sides,  and  routed  the 
whole  of  them ! 

The  reader  will  perceive  that  Peter  is  in  a  fair  way  of 
retaining  his  buckles  to  ornament  his  shoes  many  a  day, 
while  the  Briton  on  horseback  is  less  likely  to  hold  on  to  his 
gun ;  his  countenance,  bespeaking  anything  but  exultation, 
seems  to  indicate  that  he  considers  himself  in  rather  a  dan 
gerous  position.  Lay  it  on,  Peter ;  you  are  ridding  our  coun 
try  of  robbers  and  murderers,  who  would  have  had  the  auda 
city  to  rob  you  of  your  buckles !  The  man  who  looks  on 
seems  somewhat  amazed ;  and  the  negroes,  showing  the  white 
of  the  eye  rather  largely  and  using  their  legs  very  freely, 
seem  somewhat  alarmed.  I  am  told  Peter  is  still  living, 
which  shows  he  knew  as  well  how  to  escape  from  Tarleton's 
four  hundred  soldiers  as  to  conquer  nine  of  them. — Huzza  for 
Peter ! 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

Washington  manoeuvres  before  New  York— Directs  his  Coarse  to  Yorktown— 
Reaches  Chesapeake  Bay — Arrival  of  Count  de  Grasse— Wading  through  the 
Susquehanna — Arrival  of  Count  de  Barres — Siege  of  Yorktown — Efforts  of  Corn- 
wallis — Storming  of  Redoubts — Critical  Situation  of  Cornwallis — Surrender  of 
Cornwallis— Terms  of  Capitulation— Rejoicings  of  the  People— Dissection  of  a 
King— End  of  the  War— Courtship  and  Marriage  of  Washington  —  Prayer  of 
Washington. 

"  The  drying  up  a  single  tear  has  more 
Of  honest  fame,  than  shedding  seas  of  gore. 

And  why  1  because  it  brings  self-approbation, 

Whereas  the  other,  after  all  its  glare, 
Shouts,  bridges,  arches,  pensions  from  a  nation— 

Which  (it  may  be)  has  not  much  left  to  spare — 
A  higher  title,  or  a  loftier  station, 

Though  they  may  make  corruption  gape  or  stare, 
Yet,  in  the  end,  except  in  freedom's  battles, 
Are  nothing  but  a  child  of  murder's  rattles. 


464  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1781, 


And  such  they  are — and  such  they  will  be  found. 

Not  so  Leonidas  and  Washington, 
Whose  every  battle-field  is  holy  ground, 

Which  breathes  of  nations  saved,  not  worlds  undone. 
How  sweetly  on  the  ear  such  echoes  sound ! 

While  the  mere  victors  may  appal  or  stun 
The  servile  and  the  vain,  such  names  will  be 
A  watchword  till  the  future  shall  be  free." 

"And  seas  and  continents  his  voice  obey/* 

HERE,  in  this  sacred  spot,  beneath  the  cedar  and  the  pine, 
where  the  cactus  flourishes,  and  the  wild  rose  blooms ;  where 
the  mocking-bird  sings  in  the  grove,  and  the  fawn  steals 
timidly  away,  and  where,  sixty-three  years  ago,  Washington 
stood  directing  a  great  siege,  we  now  wander  to  study  the 
battle-ground  of  Yorktown.  " 

Yorktown  is  situated  on  the  south  side  of  York  river,  ele 
ven  miles  from  its  mouth ;  and  opposite  is  Gloucester,  another 
village,  on  a  point  of  land  projecting  far  into  the  river,  leav 
ing  the  stream  only  one  mile  wide,  though  it  is  from  three  to 
four  miles  wide  above  and  below. 

"  Time,  war,  flood,  and  fire, 

Have  dealt  upon  the  seven-hill'd  city's  pride." 

This  is  literally  true,  except  the  flood,  and  instead  of  York- 
town  being  built  on  seven  hills,  it  is  on  no  hill  at  all,  but 
merely  on  a  high  bank.  The  town  is  still  in  ruins ;  the  siege, 
and  subsequent  fire,  have  left  only  a  remnant  of  what  it  was 
before.  The  lizard  crawls  through  the  tall  weeds  in  the 
ruined  church ;  and  the  walls  of  the  cemetery  being  levelled 
with  the  earth,  enables  brutes  to  rove  about  among  the  sculp 
tured  monuments  of  the  illustrious  dead.  The  number  of  in 
habitants  is  only  one  hundred  and  twenty. 

The  battles  were  fought  all  around  the  town,  on  the  plan 
tation  of  Governor  Nelson,  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Decla 
ration  of  Independence,  who  had  been  elevated  by  Congress 
to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  and  who  was  now  at  the 
head  of  a  detachment  of  Virginia  militia.  His  house  soon 
became  a  shapeless  heap  of  ruina ;  his  land  covered  with  en- 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  465 


trenchments,  forts  and  redoubts ;  but  the  same  spirit  which, 
in  1774,  dictated  the  letters  to  members  of  the  British  Par 
liament,  and  to  others,  which  his  grandson,  William  Nelson, 
the  present  owner  of  the  plantation,  had  the  kindness  to  show 
us,  and  which  now  appear  as  oracles  of  inspiration,  not  only 
made  him  indifferent  to  the  destruction  of  his  own  property, 
but  a  large  portion  of  his  private  fortune  was  distributed 
with  a  bounteous  hand,  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  army. 
By  the  aid  of  the  documents  of  Governor  Nelson,  and  the 
kind  assistance  of  Mr.  William  Nelson,  who  took  me  over 
the  plantation,  pointing  out  the  parallels,  redoubts  and  forts, 
still  to  be  distinctly  seen,  I  was  able  to  learn  the  entire  plan 
of  operations  of  the  besiegers  and  the  besieged. 

We  wandered  about,  and  studied  the  battle-ground,  for  a 
period  of  three  days,  when  we  sat  down  at  the  place  already 
alluded  to,  and  in  imagination  fought  the  battles  over  again, 
as  follows : 

Washington  had  intrusted  Lafayette  with  the  defence  of 
Virginia ;  and  the  young  hero,  who  was  called  a  boy  by 
Cornwallis,  hung  on  the  proud  lord's  back  like  an  incubus, 
harassing  him,  repressing  his  excursions — now  driving  back 
his  foraging  parties — then  fighting  the  British  vigorously— 
until,  at  length,  he  shrewdly  conducted  Cornwallis  to  York- 
town. 

When  Lafayette  had  hoaxed  Cornwallis,  and  Washington 
alarmed  and  hoaxed  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  by  his  pretended 
siege  of  New  York,  the  commander-iii-chief  suddenly  turned 
to  the  right,  back  of  the  mountains,  between  the  interior  of 
the  State  of  New  Jersey  and  the  district  on  the  sea-coast, 
hurried  his  army  to  the  Delaware — waded  through  the  water 
near  Trenton,  below  the  falls — marched  to  Philadelphia,  and 
defiled  before  the  assembled  Congress. 

Reaching  the  head  of  Elk  river,  at  the  bottom  of  the  Che 
sapeake  Bay,  there  were  not  vessels  enough  to  embark  the 
two  armies,  whose  vanguards,  composed  of  grenadiers  and 
chasseurs,  alone  were  taken  away,  while  all  the  rest,  with 
the  field-artillery  and  baggage,  continued  their  march  to 
Baltimore  and  Annapolis,  whither  Count  de  Grasse,  who 

""        59~~ 


466  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 


had  arrived  in  the  bay,  was  to  send  all  the  boats  he  could 
spare. 

But  on  their  way  to  Baltimore  the  Susquehanna  had  to  be 
crossed,  which  could  not  be  accomplished  with  sufficient  ex 
pedition  in  a  few  ferry-boats,  the  only  means  in  possession  of 
the  army,  if  they  would  cross  near  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
Count  Dumas,  to  whom  orders  had  been  given  to  direct  this 
passage,  being  informed  by  the  country  people  that  the  river 
was  fordable,  during  the  fine  season,  just  below  the  falls,  and 
twenty  miles  above  its  mouth,  repaired  to  the  place  with 
guides.  He  examined  the  ford,  and  found  it  rather  forbid 
ding  ;  but  he  rushed  through  water  four  feet  deep,  over  broken 
rocks  and  loose  boulders,  with  artillery,  horses,  and  other 
impediments,  and  arrived  on  the  opposite  shore  with  very  little 
loss.  We  feel  disposed,  even  at  this  late  period,  to  give  the, 
count  three  cheers  for  this  daring  enterprise.  It  was  certainly 
the  most  expeditious  mode  of  surmounting  a  difficulty. 

The  York  river  was  blockaded  by  the  French  fleet  to  pre 
vent  Corn  wall  is  from  escaping,  or  receiving  reinforcements 
from  Clinton,  and  the  James  river,  to  establish  a  communica 
tion  with  Lafayette,  who  was  at  Williamsburg,  only  a  few 
miles  from  Yorktown,  where,  it  was  feared,  he  might  be  over 
whelmed  by  nwallis,  who,  discovering  his  danger,  might 
thus  attempt  .  ;  escape  into  the  Carolinas.  Three  thousand 
French  troops  were  sent  up  James  river,  under  Marquis  de 
St.  Simon,  to  make  a  junction  with  Lafayette. 

The  Count  de  Grasse,  having  handled  the  British  squadron 
under  Admiral  Graves  very  roughly,  during  which  time  the 
Count  de  Barras,  with  his  artillery  and  munitions  of  war, 
from  Rhode  Island,  entered  the  channel,  the  French  had  en 
tire  command  of  the  bay.  After  disembarking  their  imple 
ments  of  siege,  they  were  at  leisure  to  convey  Washington^ 
army  from  Annapolis  to  the  mouth  of  the  James  river,  and 
up  that  river  to  Williamsburg.  All  the  army  was  here  united 
on  the  26th  and  27th  of  September,  1781.  From  the  head 
of  Elk  river.  General  Washington  and  Count  Rochambeau, 
with  a  light  escort,  had  departed  first,  and  by  forced  marches 
of  sixty  miles  a  day,  had  arrived  at  Williamsburg  on  the  14th 


1781.]  DEVOLUTION.  467 


of  September,  from  which  place  they  were  at  once  conveyed 
on  board  the  Ville  de  Paris,  the  flag-ship  of  Count  de 
Grasse,  where  a  council  was  held  as  to  their  future  ope 
rations. 

In  the  meantime  Cornwallis  was  busy  in  entrenching  him 
self  at  Yorktown  and  Gloucester,  obstructing  the  river  with 
some  of  his  ships,  which  he  sunk  in  the  channel.  His  fortifi 
cations,  thrown  up  with  the  most  indefatigable  industry, 
were  strengthened  by  wood-work.  On  the  east  end  of  the 
town,  he  constructed  a  fort,  which  is  almost  perfect  to  this 
day :  extending  from  this,  his  works  encircled  the  town. 
East  of  the  fort,  at  a  distance  of  several  hundred  yards,  is  a 
very  deep  ravine ;  and  still  further  east  are  the  remains  of 
two  redoubts,  six  hundred  yards  from  the  fort ;  of  these  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  speak  again.  Independent  of  the  works 
around  and  near  Yorktown,  which  extend  from  the  edge  of  the 
river  below  the  town,  his  lordship  had  constructed  a  number 
of  redoubts  at  some  distance  from  the  main  works,  which  he 
was  obliged  to  abandon,  with  few  exceptions,  on  the  approach  of 
the  allies,  to  guard  against  being  outflanked  and  cut  off  from 
his  shipping  and  Gloucester  point.  The  command  of  the  lat 
ter  had  been  given  to  a  detachment  of  six  hundred  men  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Tarleton. 

And  now  they  come — Washington,  Rochambeau,  Lafayette 
— the  love  of  freedom  blazing  in  their  souls ;  the  destiny  of 
the  present  and  future  generations  revolving  in  their  tower 
ing  minds.  The  armies  march ;  the  earth  trembles  beneath 
their  feet.  The  French  corps  of  7000  men,  under  Rocham 
beau,  their  commander-in-chief,  are  ordered  by  Washington 
to  take  the  upper  half  of  the  semicircle ;  to  extend  the  in 
vestment  from  the  river,  above  Yorktown,  to  a  morass  near 
Governor  Nelson's  house ;  to  take  advantage  of  the  wood, 
creek,  &c.,  blocking  up  the  enemy  in  that  quarter  within  pis 
tol-shot  of  their  works. 

The  American  army  now  passes  the  morasses,  over  bridges 
which  they  had  repaired,  and  Yorktown  is  completely  in 
vested.  About  the  same  time,  the  Duke  de  Lauzun,  with  his 
legion,  and  a  detachment  of  Virginia  militia  under  General 


468  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 


Weedon,  took  a  position  in  front  of  and  blockaded  Gloucester 
point.  The  combined  armies  amounted  to  about  16,000 ;  the 
British  to  about  one-half  that  number. 

The  trenches  are  next  opened  by  the  allies,  in  the  night 
of  the  6th  and  7th  of  October.  Amid  the  roar  of  artillery, 
they  pushed  their  works  with  such  energy,  that  the  first  par 
allel,  extending  for  miles  around  the  town,  was  soon  com 
pleted,  the  batteries  erected  and  covered  with  nearly  one 
hundred  pieces  of  ordnance. 

Hark !  the  voice  of  freedom  speaks  from  the  mouths  of  a 
hundred  cannon,  the  only  argument  that  tyrants  will  hear ; 
and  while  the  British  defences  were  falling  faster  than  the 
labour  and  perseverance  of  the  soldiers  could  construct  and 
repair  them,  the  appalling  truth  was  once  more  forced  upon 
their  proud  and  stubborn  minds,  that  the  republicans  have  an 
arm  to  strike  and  a  soul  to  dare  as  wrell  as  they,  the  proudest 
mercenaries  of  relentless  oppressors. 

The  besiegers  begin  the  second  parallel,  only  three  hun 
dred  yards  from  the  British  works.  A  deluge  of  bombs  and 
balls  is  poured  from  the  enemy's  lines,  but  their  own  batte 
ries  are  soon  silenced  by  the  fire  of  the  first  parallel  of  the 
Americans. 

The  two  advanced  redoubts  below  the  fort  of  the  enemy, 
of  which  we  have  already  spoken,  interfering  with  the  com 
pletion  of  the  besiegers'  second  parallel,  by  their  incessant 
and  galling  fire,  Washington  resolved  to  take  them  by  storm. 
One  of  these  redoubts  is  on  the  high  bank  of  the  river,  the 
other  a  few  hundred  yards  from  it.  In  order  to  excite  a  spi 
rit  of  emulation,  (for  they  could  see  each  other,)  Washington 
ordered  Lafayette,  at  the  head  of  American  light-infantry,  to 
storm  the  redoubt  next  the  river,  and  Baron  Viomesnil,  at  the 
head  of  some  French  grenadiers,  to  take  the  other.  Relying 
entirely  upon  their  bayonets,  the  Americans,  with  unloaded 
guns,  rushed  forward  with  extreme  impetuosity,  Col.  Hamil 
ton  leading  the  van, 

"An  Ithacus  in  camn,  an  Ajax  in  the  field," — 
drove  some  of  the  enemy  headlong  over  a  precipice  one  hun- 


1781.]  REVOLUTION. 


dred  feet  high,  killed  a  few,  and  astonished  and  took  nearly 
all  the  remainder  prisoners.  The  French,  with  a  little  more 
fighting,  carried  the  other  redoubt  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet. 
These  redoubts  were  soon  included  in  the  second  parallel. 
The  firing  of  the  Americans  is  now  one  continuous  peal  of 
deafening  thunder.  The  deer  starts  in  terror  from  his  lair ; 
the  wild  bird  screams ;  the  liberated  steed  forgets  to  graze, 
bounds  away,  then  stops  and  snuffs  the  air,  and  runs  again. 
The  dog  howls  piteously,  crouches  and  seeks  his  master's  aid. 
The  war-steed,  with  arched  neck,  champs  the  bit,  tugs  the 
rein,  and  paws  the  ground,  eager  to  rush  into  the  midst  of 
danger,  as  if  he  too  had  power  to  acquire  or  rights  to  main 
tain.  The  mortars  and  cannon  pour  shells,  balls  and  grape- 
shot  with  terrible  effect  upon  the  enemy's  works. 

"  Round  the  pent  foe  approaching  breastworks  rise, 
And  bombs,  like  meteors,  vault  the  flaming  skies. 
Night,  with  her  hovering  wings,  asserts  in  vain 
The  shades,  the  silence  of  her  rightful  reign ; 
High  roars  her  canopy  with  fiery  flakes, 
And  War  stalks  wilder  through  the  glare  he  makes." 

The  British  lines  are  falling  all  around  them ;  their  guns 
are  silenced ;  the  shipping  is  set  on  fire  by  the  shells  of  the 
allies ;  and  at  night,  the  flames  rise  up  to  heaven  and  disclose  all 
the  horrors  of  the  deadly  strife. 

Washington  directs  the  storm  ;  he 

u  Views  the  tempest  with  collected  soul, 

And  fates  of  empires  in  his  bosom  roll."" 

The  brave,  the  proud  lord,  who  strove  for  empire,  now  be 
comes  an  alarmed  fugitive,  attempts  to  escape  with  his  army 
across  the  river,  to  carry  desolation  into  other  parts  of  the 
country.  But  the  elements  of  heaven  conspire  against  him ; 
the  mandates  of  a  righteous  God  have  gone  forth,  that  a  na 
tion,  striving  in  so  just,  so  glorious  a  cause,  shall  cease  to 
bleed,  and  the  storm  defeats  the  enterprise. 

He  sues  for  mercy  now ;  he  who  before  had  only  known 
how  to  command. 

True  greatness  and  generosity  are  inseparable ;  Washing- 


470  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 


ton,  who  could  bend  the  strong  in  arms,  also  knew  how  to 
spare  the  feeble  hand.  "  He  was  like  the  stream  of  many 
tides  against  the  foes  of  his  people,  but  like  the  gale  that 
moves  the  grass  to  those  who  asked  his  aid.  His  arm  was 
the  support  of  the  injured ;  the  weak  rested  behind  the  light 
ning  of  his  steel."  With  brow  serene  he  meets  the  fallen  foe, 
and  conducts  him  to  Moore's  house,  built  in  the  old  English 
style,  and  beautifully  situated  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the 
river. 

Here  the  terms  of  capitulation  were  signed,  which  made 
Cornwallis  and  his  army,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  prisoners 
of  war ;  and  the  vanquished  garrison  defiled  at  two  o'clock, 
on  the  19th  of  October,  between  the  two  allied  armies,  with 
drums  beating,  carrying  their  arms,  which  they  piled,  with 
twenty  pair  of  colours,  in  a  field  near  the  town. 

The  British  officers  manifested  the  most  bitter  mortifica 
tion.  Colonel  Abercrombie  rapidly  withdrew  from  the  Eng 
lish  guards,  whom  he  had  commanded,  covering  his  face  and 
biting  his  sword. 

But  we  must  endeavour  to  dispose  of  that  sword  of  Corn 
wallis,  which  has  so  much  puzzled  historians.  I  have  seen 
paintings  of  Cornwallis  delivering  his  sword  in  person  to 
Gen.  Lincoln.  I  have  seen  engravings  of  the  same  officer  in 
the  act  of  presenting  his  sword  to  Washington.  These  are 
poetic  licenses,  like  those  of  a  poet,  who.  in  speaking  of  this 
siege,  mined  and  blew  up  a  citadel,  where  none  ever  existed. 
With  the  destruction  of  this  ideal  strong-hold,  he  makes  reel 
ing  mountains  roar,  fills  the  air  with  guns,  bastions,  maga 
zines  ;  and  startles  the  British  commander  writh  the  astounding 
earthquake,  while  he  beholds  his  chosen  veterans  whirling 
down  the  skies. 

The  truth  is  simply  this :  Gen.  Lincoln,  at  the  siege  of 
Charleston,  had  been  obliged  to  surrender  to  the  British,  and 
Washington  now  appoints  him  to  receive  the  submission  of 
the  British  army,  and  to 

u  guide,  with  modest  air, 


The  last  glad  triumph  of  the  finish'd  war," 


1781.]  REVOLUTION,  471 


Cornwallis  felt  or  feigned  sickness,  and  constituted  General 
O'Hara  his  representative.  The  latter,  coming  up  to  the 
Count  Rochambeau,  presented  his  sword  to  him ;  the  count 
pointed  to  General  Washington,  who  was  opposite,  at  the 
head  of  the  American  army,  and  told  him  that  the  French 
army  being  auxiliaries  on  the  continent,  it  was  the  American 
general  who  was  to  signify  his  orders  to  him. 

Lieutenant-General  Count  Dumas  says :  "  I  had  orders  to 
go  and  meet  the  troops  of  the  garrison,  and  to  direct  the 
columns.  I  placed  myself  at  General  O'Hara's  left  hand. 
As  we  approached  the  trenches,  he  asked  me  wrhere  General 
RochambeauNvas.  '  On  our  left,'  I  said,  '  at  the  head  of  the 
French  line.'  The  English  general  urged  his  horse  forward 
to  present  his  sword  to  the  French  general.  Guessing  his 
intention.  I  galloped  on  to  the  place  myself,  between  him  and 
M.  de  Rochambeau,  who  at  that  moment  made  me  a  sign, 
pointing  to  General  Washington,  who  was  opposite  to  him, 
at  the  head  of  the  American  army.  '  You  are  mistaken,' 
said  I  to  the  General  O'Hara,  *  the  commander-in-chief  of 
our  army  is  on  the  right.'  I  accompanied  him,  and  the  mo 
ment  that  he  presented  his  sword,  General  Washington,  anti 
cipating  him,  said,  '  Never  from  such  a  good  hand.' " 

Washington,  it  would  appear,  entertained  a  regard  for  the 
personal  character  of  O'Hara,  and  did  not  wish  to  increase 
chagrin  and  mortification  by  taking  his  sword.  The  mag 
nanimous  conqueror,  satisfied  with  having  deprived  the  offi 
cers  of  the  means  of  injuring  his  country,  declined  gratifying 
his  own  pride  by  humbling  a  fallen  foe.  Four  young  poplars, 
however,  mark  the  spot  where  the  sword  vw.s  surrendered,  but 
not  received  either  by  Washington  or  Lincoln, 

If  argument  were  necessary  to  confirm  the  assertions  of 
such  respectable  authority,  let  it  be  remembered,  the  terms 
of  capitulation  were,  in  general,  the  same  which  had  been 
granted  to  General  Lincoln  at  Charleston,  eighteen  months 
before;  and  we  are  told,  by  American  and  British  historians, 
that  on  that  occasion  the  officers  retained  their  arms  and 
baggage. 

The  glad  tidings  of  victory  spread   over   the  length  and 


472  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1781. 


breadth  of  the  land.  Joy  exhilarates  the  soul  of  every  free 
man  ;  they  congratulate  each  other,  by  a  hearty  shake  of 
both  hands.  The  farmer  stops  his  labour,  throws  down  his 
hat  and  leaps  for  joy ;  the  mechanic  rushes  out  of  his  shop 
to  convey  the  happy  news  to  his  friends,  and  to  hear  more. 
The  orator  mounts  .the  rostrum,  and  pours  forth  his  gratitude 
in  spirit-stirring  eloquence.  The  sick  man  raises  his  head 
from  the  pillow,  and  finds  himself  much  better.  Every  heart 
is  full  of  gratitude ;  a  few  men  really  lose  their  senses,  and 
one  old  patriot  in  Philadelphia  died  in  ecstacy. 

The  people  hastened  to  the  churches,  and  poured  forth  their 
souls  in  prayer  to  God  for  their  glorious  victory  over  their 
oppressors.  In  these  prayers,  proceeding  from  hearts  over 
flowing  with  gratitude,  could  be  heard  the  names  of  Wash 
ington,  Rochambeau,  Lafayette;  many  a  sweet  voice, breathed 
through  rosy  lips,  pronounced  the  name  of  the  father  of  his 
people ;  many  a  white  hand  was  raised  to  heaven  to  invoke 
kindred  spirits  to  shower  their  blessings  upon  his  head.  These 
were  times  that  tried  men's  souls,  and  such  a  victory  tried 
them  again. 

The  sirocco  blast  of  a  six  years'  war  had  already  raged 
over  the  land,  but  now  the  people  feel  their  might ;  and  what 
madman  would  prolong  the  war  in  behalf  of  his  king  ?  Who 
would  now  stem  the  torrent  of  public  opinion,  of  a  nation  of 
patriots  ?  Return,  ye  hirelings  of  an  idiot  king,  and  tell  your 
master,  that  when  he  hears  the  deep  hollow  thunder  of  the 
cataract  of  Niagara,  mingled  with  the  roar  of  the  long  and 
angry  rapids,  to  entreat  it  to  cease  its  appalling  din  and  tu 
multuous  uproar.  When  the  terrors  of  the  volcano  shake 
mountains  to  their  bases,  and  rivers  of  fire  rush  over  human 
habitations,  with  deafening  roar  and  thundering  explosions, 
then  let  him  tell  those  plutonian  workshops  to  calm  their  agi 
tated  breasts,  to  hush  their  terrors,  to  cease  their  devastations, 
and  sink  into  the  repose  of  a  horrid  sleep.  When  the  earth 
quake  upheaves  the  earth,  shakes  cities  into  fragments,  rolls 
the  sea  in  mountain  billows  to  the  shore,  then  let  him  threaten 
it  with  tax-laws,  and  command  it  to  stop  the  dread  ruin  and 
wide-spread  consternation  which  it  occasions.  Then,  then  let 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  473 

him  tell  the  Americans  to  abandon  their  rights  and  submit  to 
his  gracious  will. 

Why  should  a  nation  groan  under  the  rack  of  one  indivi 
dual,  who  has  usurped  a  power,  and  claimed  a  right  to  rule 
merely  because  his  ancestors  ruled  with  a  delegated  power? 
What  entitles  him  to  that  station  ?  When  did  his  divine  right 
begin  ?  Was  it  in  oppression  and  wrong,  violence  and  mur 
der  ;  or  through  the  agency  of  those  he  first  wronged  and 
then  led  against  other  countries  ?  A  king  !  what  is  he,  George 
III.  ? — Many  a  negro's  name  was  George — a  first,  a  second, 
a  third  ! — A  king !  What  is  he  ? — Dissect  him  and  you  find 
his  skeleton  is  composed  of  bones,  just  like  those  of  a  beggar, 
and  perhaps  a  worse  subject.  His  muscles  less  perfectly  de 
veloped  than  those  of  the  healthy  labourer ;  his  blood  conta 
minated  by  debauchery  and  disease ;  his  brain  probably  a 
very  ordinary  specimen ;  his  heart  of  the  same  physical  con 
formation  as  those  of  other  sons  of  Adam ;  and  in  a  moral 
sense,  probably  more  corrupt  than  the  majority  of  others : 
and  yet  this  poor  specimen  of  humanity  would  castigate  a 
|  nation  by  divine  authority ! 

The  fall  of  Cornwallis  may  be  considered  the  end  of  the 
revolution.  A  few  skirmishes  only  indicated  a  continuation 
of  hostilities. 

Congress  appointed  John  Adams,  Benjamin  Franklin,  John 
Jay,  and  Henry  Laurens,  commissioners  for  negotiating  peace 
with  Great  Britain.  They  met  Mr.  Fitzherbert  and  Mr. 
Oswald,  on  the  part  of  England,  at  Paris,  where  provisional 
articles  of  peace  between  the  two  countries  were  signed  No 
vember  30th,  1782.  The  definitive  treaty  was  signed  on  the 
30th  of  September,  1783,  which  acknowledged  our  indepen 
dence. 

The  army  was  disbanded — Washington  issued  his  farewell 
orders — bade  adieu  to  his  soldiers — took  leave  of  his  officers, 
resigned  his  commission  to  Congress,  and  retired  to  his  seat 
at  Mount  Vernon  to  enjoy  the  delights  of  private  life.  In  a 
short  time,  however,  he  became  the  first  in  the  cabinet,  as  he 
had  been  the  first  in  the  field. 

Before  we  take  leave  01  our  great  hero,  we  shall  select  a 

60  2p» 


474  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781 


rich  gem  for  the  ladies,  if  they  will  honour  us  with  a  perusal 
of  our  book.  The  ladies  know  that  the  brave  honour,  respect 
and  love  them,  and  the  following  article  wrill  show  whether 
Washington  had  any  time  to  devote  to  them. 

"  Descended  from  an  ancient  family,  which  first  migrated 
to  the  colony  of  Virginia  in  the  person  of  the  Rev.  Orlando 
Jones,  a  clergyman  of  Wales,  Martha  Dandridge  was  born 
in  the  county  of  New  Kent,  colony  of  Virginia,  in  May,  1732. 
The  education  of  females,  in  the  early  days  of  the  colonial 
settlements,  was  almost  exclusively  of  a  domestic  character, 
and  by  instructors  who  were  entertained  in  the  principal 
families,  that  were  too  few  and  too  "  far  between"  to  admit 
of  the  establishment  of  public  schools.  Of  the  early  life  of 
Miss  Dandridge  we  are  only  able  to  record,  that  the  young 
lady  excelled  in  personal  charms,  which,  with  pleasing  man 
ners,  and  a  general  amiability  of  demeanor,  caused  her  to  be 
distinguished  amid  the  fair  ones  who  usually  assembled  at 
the  court  of  Williamsburg.  then  held  by  the  royal  governors 
of  Virginia. 

"At  seventeen  years  of  age,  or  in  1749,  Miss  Dandridge 
was  married  to  Colonel  Daniel  Parke  Custis,  of  the  White 
House,  county  of  New  Kent.  This  was  a  match  of  affection. 
The  father  of  the  bridegroom,  the  Honourable  John  Custis, 
of  Arlington,  a  king's  counsellor,  had  matrimonial  views  of  a 
more  ambitious  character  for  his  only  son  arid  heir,  and  was 
desirous  of  a  connexion  with  the  Byrd  family,  of  Westover, 
Colonel  Byrd  being  at  that  time,  from  his  influence  and  vast 
possessions,  almost  a  count  palatine  of  Virginia.  The  coun 
sellor  having  at  length  given  his  consent,  the  newly  married 
pair  settled  at  the  White  House,  on  the  banks  of  the  Pa- 
munkey  river,  where  Colonel  Custis  became  an  eminently 
successful  planter.  The  fruits  of  this  marriage  wrere,  a  girl, 
who  died  in  infancy,  and  Daniel,  Martha,  and  John.  Daniel 
was  a  child  of  much  promise,  and  it  was  generally  believed, 
that  his  untimely  death  hastened  his  father  to  the  grave. 
Martha  arrived  at  womanhood,  and  died  at  Mount  Vernon 
in  1770,  and  John,  the  father  of  the  biographer,  (George  W. 
|  P.  Oustis,  Esq.,  of  Arlington,  D.  C.)  perished  while  in  the  ser- 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  475 


vice  of  his  country,  in  the  suite  of  the  eommander-in-chief, 
at  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  1781,  aged  twenty-seven. 

"  On  the  decease  of'  her  husband,  which  happened  about 
middle  age,  Mrs.  Custis  found  herself  at  once  a  very  young, 
and  among  the  wealthiest  widows  in  the  colony.  Indepen 
dently  of  extensive  and  valuable  landed  estates,  the  colonel 
left  thirty  thousand  pounds  sterling  in  money,  with  half  that 
amount  to  his  only  daughter,  Martha.  It  is  related  of  this 
amiable  gentleman  that,  when  on  his  death-bed,  he  sent  for  a 
tenant,  to  whom,  in  settling  an  account,  he  was  due  one  shil 
ling.  The  tenant  begged  that  the  colonel,  who  had  ever 
been  most  kind  to  his  tenantry,  would  not  trouble  himself 
at  all  about  such  a  trifle,  as  he,  the  tenant,  had  forgotten  it 
long  ago.  'But  I  have  not;'  rejoined  the  just  and  conscien 
tious  landlord,  and,  bidding  his  creditor  take  up  the  coin, 
which  had  been  purposely  placed  on  his  pillow,  exclaimed, 
4  Now  my  accounts  are  all  closed  with  this  world ;'  and 
shortly  after  expired.  Mrs.  Custis,  as  sole  executrix,  man 
aged  the  extensive  landed  and  pecuniary  concerns  of  the 
estates  with  surprising  ability ;  making  loans,  on  mortgage, 
of  moneys,  and,  through  her  stewards  and  agents,  conducting 
the  sales  or  exportation  of  the  crops  to  the  best  possible  ad 


vantage. 


"  While  on  the  subject  of  the  moneyed  concerns  of  seventy 
years  ago,  we  hope  to  be  pardoned  for  a  brief  digression. 
An  orchard  of  fine  apple  trees  is  yet  standing  near  Bladens- 
burg,  that  was  presented  to  a  Mr.  Ross,  by  the  father  of  the 
late  venerable  Charles  Carroll,  of  Carrollton,  as  a  recompense 
for  Mr.  Ross's  having  introduced  to  Mr.  Carroll  a  good  bor 
rower  of  his  money.  A  Colonel  T.,  one  of  the  ancient  dons 
of  Maryland,  being  observed  riding  over  the  race-course  of 
Annapolis  in  a  very  disturbed  and  anxious  manner,  was  ac 
costed  by  his  friends  with  a  '  What 's  the  matter,  Colonel  ? 
Are  you  alarmed  for  the  success  of  your  filly,  about  to  start  V 
'  Oh,  no,'  replied  T.,  *  but  I  have  a  thousand  pounds  by  me, 
to  loan,  and  here  have  I  been  riding  about  the  course  the 
whole  morning,  and  not  a  single  borrower  can  I  get  for  my 


476  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 

money.'     We  opine  the  same  anxieties  would  not  be  long 
suffered  in  1834. 

"  It  was  in  1758  that  an  officer,  attired  in  a  military  un 
dress,  and  attended  by  a  body-servant,  tall  and  militaire  as 
his  chief,  crossed  the  ferry  called  Williams's,  over  the  Pamuri- 
key,  a  branch  of  the  York  river.  On  the  boat  touching  the 
southern  or  New  Kent  side,  the  soldier's  progress  was  ar 
rested  by  one  of  those  personages  who  give  the  beau  ideal  of 
the  Virginia  gentleman  of  the  old  regime,  the  very  soul  of 

|  kindness  and  hospitality.  It  was  in  vain  the  soldier  urged 
his  business  at  Williamsburgh,  important  communications  to 
the  governor,  &c.  Mr.  Chamberlayne,  on  whose  domain  the 
militaire  had  just  landed,  would  hear  of  no  excuse.  Colonel 
Washington  was  a  name  and  character  so  dear  to  all  the  Vir 
ginians,  that  his  passing  by  one  of  the  castles  of  Virginia, 
without  calling  and  partaking  of  the  hospitalities  of  the  host, 
was  entirely  out  of  the  question.  The  colonel,  however,  did 
not  surrender  at  discretion,  but  stoutly  maintained  his  ground, 
till  Chamberlayne  bringing  up  his  reserve,  in  the  intimation 
that  he  would  introduce  his  friend  to  a  young  and  charming 

|  widow,  then  beneath  his  roof,  the  soldier  capitulated,  on  con 
dition  that  he  should  dine,  only  dine,  and  then,  by  pressing 
his  charger  and  borrowing  of  the  night,  he  would  reach  Wil- 
liamsburg  before  his  excellency  could  shake  off  his  morning 
slumbers.  Orders  were  accordingly  issued  to  Bishop,  the 
colonel's  body-servant  and  faithful  follower,  who,  together 
with  the  fine  English  charger,  had  been  bequeathed  by  the 
dying  Braddock  to  Major  Washington,  on  the  famed  and  fatal 
field  of  the  Monongahela.  Bishop,  bred  in  the  school  of  Eu 
ropean  discipline,  raised  his  hand  to  his  cap,  as  much  as  to 
say,  *  Your  honours  orders  shall  be  obeyed.' 
.  "  The  colonel  now  proceeded  to  the  mansion,  and  was  in 
troduced  to  various  guests,  (for  when  was  a  Virginian  domi- 
cil  of  the  olden  time  without  guests  ?)  and,  above  all,  to  the 
charming  widow.  Tradition  relates  that  they  were  mutually 
pleased  on  this  their  first  interview,  nor  is  it  remarkable; 
they  were  of  an  age  when  impressions  are  strongest.  The 
lady  was  fair  to  behold,  of  fascinating  manners,  and  splen- 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  477 


didiy  endowed  with  worldly  benefits;  the  hero  fresh  from 
early  fields,  redolent  of  fame,  with  a  form  on  which 

1  Every  god  did  seem  to  set  his  seal, 
To  give  the  world  assurance  of  a  man.' 

"  The  morning  passed  pleasantly  away ;  evening  came, 
with  Bishop,  true  to  his  orders  and  firm  at  his  post,  holding 
the  favourite  charger  with  the  one  hand,  while  the  other  was 
waiting  to  offer  the  ready  stirrup.  The  sun  sunk  in  the  hori 
zon,  and  yet  the  colonel  appeared  not.  And  then  the  old  sol 
dier  marvelled  at  his  chiefs  delay.  ''Twas  strange, 'twas 
passing  strange' — surely  he  was  not  wont  to  be  a  single  mo 
ment  behind  his  appointments,  for  he  was  the  most  punctual 
of  all  punctual  men.  Meantime  the  host  enjoyed  the  scene 
of  the  veteran  on  duty  at  the  gate,  while  the  colonel  was  so 
agreeably  employed  in  the  parlour ;  and,  proclaiming  that  no 
guest  ever  left  his  house  after  sunset,  his  military  visiter  was, 
without  much  difficulty,  persuaded  to  order  Bishop  to  put  up 
the  horses  for  the  night.  The  sun  rode  high  in  the  heavens 
the  ensuing  day,  when  the  enamoured  soldier  pressed  with 
his  spur  his  charger's  side,  and  speeded  on  his  way  to  the 
seat  of  government,  where,  having  despatched  his  public  bu 
siness,  he  retraced  his  steps,  and  at  the  White  House,  the  en 
gagement  took  place,  with  preparations  for  the  marriage. 

"  And  much  hath  the  biographer  heard  of  that  marriage, 
from  gray-haired  domestics,  who  waited  at  the  board  where 
love  made  the  feast  and  Washington  was  the  guest.  And 
rare  and  high  was  the  revelry,  at  that  palmy  period  of  Vir 
ginia's  festal  age ;  for  many  were  gathered  to  that  marriage, 
of  the  good,  the  great,  the  gifted,  and  the  gay,  while  Virgi 
nia,  with  joyous  acclamation,  hailed  in  her  youthful  hero  a 
prosperous  and  happy  bridegroom. 

"  'And  so  you  remember  when  Colonel  Washington  came  a 
courting  your  mistress  V  said  the  biographer  to  old  Cully,  in 
his  hundredth  year.  'Aye,  master,  that  I  do,'  replied  this  an 
cient  family  servant,  who  had  lived  to  see  five  generations ; 
*  great  times,  sir,  great  times !  Shall  never  see  the  like  again  !' 
'And  Washington  looked  something  like  a  man,  a  proper  man ; 


478  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 

hey,  Cully  ?'  « Never  seed  the  like,  sir ;  never  the  likes  of 
him,  though  I  have  seen  many  in  my  day  ;  so  tall,  so  straight ! 
and  then  he  sat  a  horse  and  rode  with  such  an  air!  Ah,  sir; 
he  was  like  no  one  else !  Many  of  the  grandest  gentlemen, 
in  their  gold  lace,  were  at  the  wedding,  but  none  looked  like 
the  man  himself!'  Strong,  indeed,  must  have  been  the  im 
pression  which  the  person  and  manner  of  Washington  made 
upon  the  rude, '  untutor'd  mind'  of  this  poor  negro,  since  the 
lapse  of  three-quarters  of  a  century  had  not  sufficed  to  efface 
them. 

"  The  precise  date  of  the  marriage  the  biographer  has  been 
unable  to  discover,  having  in  vain  searched  among  the  re 
cords  of  the  vestry  of  St.  Peter's  church,  New  Kent,  of  which 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Mosom,  a  Cambridge  scholar,  was  the  rector, 
and  performed  the  ceremony,  it  is  believed,  about  1759.  A 
short  time  after  their  marriage,  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Washington 
removed  to  Mount  Vernon,  on  the  Potomac,  and  permanently 
settled  there. 

"The  mansion  of  Mount  Vernon.  more  than  seventy  years 
ago,  was  a  very  small  building  compared  with  its  present  ex 
tent,  numerous  out-buildings  having  since  been  attached  to  it. 
The  mansion-house  consisted  of  four  rooms  on  a  /3oor,  forming 
the  centre  of  the  present  building,  and  remained  pretty  much 
in  that  state  up  to  1774,  when  Colonel  Washington  repaired 
to  the  first  Congress  in  Philadelphia,  and  from  thence  to  the 
command-in-chief  of  the  armies  of  his  country,  assembled 
before  Cambridge,  July,  1775.  The  commander-in-chief  re 
turned  no  more  to  reside  at  Mount  Vernon  till  after  the  peace 
of  1783.  Mrs.  or  Lady  Washington,  as  we  shall  now  call 
her,  such  being  the  appellation  she  always  bore  in  the  army, 
accompanied  the  general  to  the  line  before  Boston,  and  wit 
nessed  its  siege  and  evacuation.  She  then  returned  to  Vir 
ginia,  the  subsequent  campaigns  being  of  too  momentous  a 
character  to  allow  of  her  accompanying  the  army. 

"At  the  close  of  each  campaign,  an  aid-de-camp  repaired 
to  Mount  Vernon,  to  escort  the  lady  to  the  head-quarters. 
The  arrival  of  Lady  Washington  at  camp  was  an  event  much 
anticipated,  and  was  always  the  signal  for  the  ladies  of  the 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  479 


general  officers  to  repair  to  the  bosoms  of  their  lords.  The 
arrival  of  the  aid-de-camp,  escorting  the  plain  chariot,  with 
the  neat  postilions  in  their  scarlet  and  white  liveries,  was 
deemed  an  epoch  in  the  army,  and  served  to  diffuse  a  cheer 
ing  influence  amid  the  gloom  which  hung  over  our  destinies 
at  Valley  Forge,  Morristown,  and  West  Point.  Lady  Wash 
ington  always  remained  at  the  head-quarters  till  the  opening 
of  the  campaign,  and  often  remarked,  in  after-life,  that  it  had 
been  her  fortune  to  hear  the  first  cannon  at  the  opening  and 
the  last  at  the  closing,  of  all  the  campaigns  of  the  revolu 
tionary  war.  During  the  whole  of  that  mighty  period  when 
we  struggled  for  independence,  Lady  Washington  preserved 
her  equanimity,  together  with  a  degree  of  cheerfulness  that 
inspired  all  around  her  with  the  brightest  hopes  for  our  ulti 
mate  success.  To  her  alone  a  heavy  cloud  of  sorrow  hung 
over  the  conclusion  of  the  glorious  campaign  of  1781.  Her 
only  child,  while  attending  to  his  duties  as  aid-de-camp  to 
the  general-in-chief,  during  the  siege  of  Yorktowia,  was  seized 
with  an  attack  of  the  camp-fever,  then  raging  to  a  frightful 
extent  within  the  enemy's  entrenchments.  Ardently  attached 
to  the  cause  of  his  country,  having  witnessed  many  of  the 
most  important  events  of  the  revolutionary  contest,  from  the 
siege  of  Boston,  in  1775,  to  the  virtual  termination  of  the 
war,  in  1781,  the  sufferer  beheld  the  surrender  of  the  British 
army  of  the  memorable  19th  of  October,  and  was  thence  re 
moved  to  Eltham,  in  New  Kent,  where  he  was  attended  by 
Dr.  Craik,  chief  of  the  medical  staff.  Washington  learning 
the  extreme  danger  of  his  step-son,  to  whom  he  was  greatly 
attached,  privately  left  the  camp  before  Yorktown,  while  yet 
it  rung  with  the  shouts  of  victory,  and,  attended  by  a  single 
officer,  rode  with  all  speed  to  Eltham.  It  was  just  day-dawn 
when  the  commander-in-chief  sprung  from  his  panting  charger, 
and  summoning  Dr.  Craik  to  his  presence,  inquired  if  there 
was  any  hope.  Craik  shook  his  head,  when  the  chief,  being 
shown  into  a  private  room,  threw  himself  on  a  bed,  absorbed 
in  grief.  The  poor  sufferer,  being  in  his  last  agonies,  soon 
after  expired.  The  general  remained  for  some  time  closeted 
with  his  lady,  then  remounted  and  returned  to  the  camp. 


480  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1781. 

"  It  was  after  the  peace  of  1783,  that  General  Washington 
set  in  earnest  about  the  improvements  in  building  and  laying 
off  the  gardens  and  grounds  that  now  adorn  Mount  Vernon. 
He  continued  in  these  gratifying  employments,  occasionally 

I  diversified  with  the  pleasures  of  the  chase,  till  1787,  when  he 
was  called  to  preside  in  the  convention  that  framed  the  pre 
sent  Constitution,  and  in  1789  left  his  beloved  retirement  to 

I  assume  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  Union.  During  the  resi 
dence  of  General  and  Mrs.  Washington  at  Mount  Vernon, 

I  after  the  peace  of  1783,  the  ancient  mansion,  always  the  seat 
of  hospitality,  was  crowded  with  guests.  The  officers  of  the 

I  French  and  American  armies,  with  many  strangers  of  dis 
tinction,  hastened  to  pay  their  respects  to  the  victorious  gene- 

|  ral,  now  merged  into  the  illustrious  farmer  of  Mount  Vernon. 
During  these  stirring  times,  Mrs.  Washington  performed  the 

|  duties  of  a  Virginian  housewife,  and  presided  at  her  well- 
spread  board,  with  that  ease  and  elegance  of  manner  which 

I  always  distinguished  her.    At  length  the  period  arrived  when 

I  General  and  Mrs.  Washington  were  to  leave  the  delights  of 
retirement  and  enter  upon  new  and  elevated  scenes  of  life. 
The  unanimous  voice  of  his  country  hailed  the  hero  who  had 
so  lately  led  her  armies  to  victory,  as  the  chief  magistrate  of 
the  young  empire  about  to  dawn  upon  the  wrorld. 

"  The  president  and  his  lady  bid  adieu,  with  extreme  regret, 
to  the  tranquil  and  happy  shades  where  a  few  years  of  repose 
had,  in  great  measure,  effaced  the  effects  of  the  toils  and 
anxieties  of  war ;  where  a  little  Eden  had  bloomed  and  flou 
rished  under  their  fostering  hands,  and  where  a  numerous 
circle  of  friends  and  relatives  would  sensibly  feel  the  priva 
tion  of  their  departure.  They  departed,  and  hastened  to 
where  duty  called  the  man  of  his  country. 

"  The  journey  to  New  York,  in  1789,  was  a  continued 
triumph.  The  august  spectacle  at  the  bridge  of  Trenton 
brought  tears  to  the  eyes  of  the  chief,  and  forms  one  of  the 
most  brilliant  recollections  of  the  age  of  Washington. 

"Arrived  at  the  seat  of  the  federal  government,  the  presi 
dent  and  Mrs.  Washington  formed  their  establishment  upon 
a  scale  that,  while  it  partook  of  all  the  attributes  of  our  re- 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  481 

publican  institutions,  possessed,  at  the  same  time,  that  degree 
of  dignity  and  regard  for  appearances,  so  necessary  to  give 
to  our  infant  republic  respect  in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  The 
house  was  handsomely  furnished ;  the  equipages  neat,  with 
horses  of  the  first  order ;  the  servants  wore  the  family  liveries ; 
and,  with  the  exception  of  a  steward  and  housekeeper,  the 
whole  establishment  differed  but  little  from  that  of  a  private 
gentleman.  On  Tuesdays,  from  three  to  four  o'clock,  the 
president  received  the  foreign  ambassadors  and  strangers  who 
wished  to  be  introduced  to  him.  On  these  occasions,  and 
when  opening  the  sessions  of  Congress,  the  president  wore  a 
dress-sword.  His  personal  appearance  was  always  remark 
able  for  its  being  old-fashioned,  and  exceedingly  plain  and 
neat.  On  Thursdays  were  the  Congressional  dinners,  and  on 
Friday  nights  Mrs.  Washington's  drawing-room.  The  com 
pany  usually  assembled  about  seven,  and  rarely  stayed  exceed 
ing  ten  o'clock.  The  ladies  were  seated,  and  the  president 
passed  around  the  circle,  paying  his  compliments  to  each. 
At  the  drawing-rooms,  Mrs.  Morris  always  sat  at  the  right  of 
the  lady-president ;  and  at  all  the  dinners,  public  or  private, 
at  which  Robert  Morris  was  a  guest,  that  venerable  was 
placed  at  the  right  of  Mrs.  Washington.  When  ladies  called 
at  the  president's  mansion,  the  habit  was,  for  the  secretaries 
and  gentlemen  of  the  president's  household  to  hand  them  to 
and  from  their  carriages ;  but  when  the  honoured  relicts  of 
Greene  and  Montgomery  came  to  the  presidoliad,  the  president 
himself  performed  these  complimentary  duties. 

"  On  the  great  national  festivals  of  the  4th  of  July,  and 
32d  of'  February,  the  sages  of  the  revolutionary  congress 
and  the  officers  of  the  revolutionary  army  renewed  their 
acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Washington ;  many  and  kindly  greet 
ings  took  place,  with  many  a  recollection  of  the  days  of  trial. 
The  Cincinnati,  after  paying  their  respects  to  their  chief,  were 
seen  to  file  off  towards  the  parlour,  where  Lady  Washington 
was  in  waiting  to  receive  them;  and  where  Wayne,  and 
Mifflin,  and  Dickinson,  and  Steward,  and  Maylan,and  Hartley, 
and  a  host  of  veterans,  were  cordially  welcomed  as  old 

friends;  and  where  many  an  interesting  reminiscence  was 
__  _ 


482  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1781. 

called  up,  of  the  head-quarters,  and  the  '  times  of  the  revo 
lution.' 

"  On  Sundays,  unless  the  weather  was  uncommonly  severe, 
the  president  and  Mrs.  Washington  attended  divine  service  at 
Christ-church ;  and  in  the  evening,  the  president  read  to  Mrs. 
Washington,  in  her  chamber,  a  sermon,  or  some  portion  from 
the  sacred  writings.  No  visitors,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Speaker  Trumbull,  were  admitted  to  the  presidoliad  on 
Sundays. 

"  Thei •-.  was  a  description  of  visiters,  however,  to  be  found 
about  the  first  president's  mansion  on  all  days.  The  old 
soldiers  repaired,  as  they  said,  to  head-quarters,  just  to  in 
quire  after  the  health  of  his  excellency  and  Lady  Washington. 
\  They  knew  his  excellency  was,  of  course,  much  engaged ;  but 
they  would  like  to  see  the  good  lady.  One  had  been  a  soldier 
of  the  life-guard ;  another  had  been  on  duty  when  the  British 
threatened  to  surprise  the  head-quarters  ;  a  third  had  witnessed 
that  terrible  fellow,  Cornwallis,  surrender  his  sword :  each 
one  had  some  touching  appeal,  with  which  to  introduce  him 
self  to  the  peaceful  head- quarters  of  the  presidoliad.  All 
were  '  kindly  bid  to  stay,',  were  conducted  to  the  steward's 
apartmei:*  .  and  refreshments  set  before  them :  and  receiving 
|  some  litn<  token  from  the  lady,  with  her  best  wishes  for  the 
health  and  happiness  of  an  old  soldier,  they  went  their  ways, 
while  blessings  upon  their  revered  commander  and  the  good 
Lady  Washington,  were  uttered  by  many  a  war-worn  veteran 
of  the  revolution. 

"  In  the  spring  of  1797,  General  and  Mrs,  Washington, 
bidding  adieu  to  public  life,  took  their  leave  of  the  seat  of 
government,  and  journeyed  to  the  south,  prepared,  in  good 
earnest,  to  spend  the  remnant  of  their  days  in  their  beloved 
retirement  of  Mount  Vernon.  The  general  reassumed,  with 
delight,  his  agricultural  employments,  while  the  lady  bustled 
again  amid  her  domestic  concerns,  showing  that  neither  time 
nor  her  late  elevated  station  had  anywise  impaired  her  quali 
fications  for  a  Virginian  housewife,  and  she  was  now  verging 
upon  threescore  and  ten. 

"  But  for  Washington  to  be  retired  at  Mount  Vernon,  or 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  483 

anywhere  else,  was  out  of  the  question.  Crowds  which  had 
hailed  the  victorious  general  as  the  deliverer  of  his  country, 
and  called  him  with  acclamation  to  the  chief  magistracy  of 
the  infant  empire,  now  pressed  to  his  retirement,  to  offer  their 
love  and  admiration  to  the  illustrious  farmer  of  Mount 
Vernon. 

"  Mrs.  Washington  was  an  uncommonly  early  riser,  leaving 
her  pillow  at  day-dawn,  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and  be 
coming  at  once  actively  engaged  in  her  household  duties. 
After  breakfast  she  retired  for  an  hour  to  her  chamber,  which 
hour  was  spent  in  prayer,  and  reading  the  Holy  Scriptures,  a 
practice  that  she  never  omitted  during  half  a  century  of  her 
varied  life. 

"  Two  years  had  passed  happily  at  Mount  Vernon ;  for, 
although  the  general,  yielding  to  the  claims  of  his  country, 
had  again  accepted  the  command-in-chief  of  her  armies,  yet 
he  had  stipulated  with  government  that  he  should  not  leave 
his  retirement,  unless  upon  the  actual  invasion  of  an  enemy. 
It  was  while  engaged  in  projecting  new  and  ornamental  im 
provements  in  his  grounds,  that  the  fiat  of  the  Almighty  went 
forth,  calling  the  being,  the  measure  of  whose  earthly  fame 
was  filled  to  overflowing,  to  his  great  reward  in  higher  and 
better  worlds.  The  illness  was  short  and  severe.  Mrs. 
Washington  left  not  the  chamber  of  the  sufferer,  but  was  seen 
kneeling  at  the  bedside,  her  head  resting  upon  her  Bible, 
which  had  been  her  solace  in  the  many  and  heavy  afflictions 
she  had  undergone.  Dr.  Craik,  the  early  friend  and  com 
panion  in  arms  of  the  chief,  replaced  the  hand,  which  was 
almost  pulseless,  upon  the  pillow,  while  he  turned  away  to 
conceal  the  tears  that  fast  chased  each  other  down  his 
furrowed  cheeks.  The  last  effort  of  the  expiring  Washington 
was  worthy  of  the  Roman  fame  of  his  life  and  character. 
He  raised  himself  up,  and  casting  a  look  of  benignity  on  all 
around  him,  as  if  to  thank  them  for  their  kindly  attentions, 
he  composed  his  limbs,  closed  his  eyes,  and,  folding  his  arms 
upon  his  bosom,  the  father  of  his  country  expired,  gently  as 
though  an  infant  died ! 

"  The  afflicted  relict  could  with  difficulty  be  removed  from 


484  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1781. 

the  chamber  of  death,  to  which  she  returned  no  more,  but 
occupied  other  apartments  for  the  residue  of  her  days, 

"  By  an  arrangement  with  government,  Mrs.  Washington 
yielded  the  remains  of  the  chief  to  the  prayer  of  the  nation, 
as  expressed  through  its  representatives  in  Congress,  condi 
tioning  that,  at  her  decease,  her  own  remains  should  accom 
pany  those  of  her  husband  to  the  capital. 

"  When  the  burst  of  grief  which  followed  the  death  of  the 
Pater  Patriae  had  a  little  subsided,  visits  of  condolence  to  the 
bereaved  lady  were  made  by  the  first  personages  of  the  land. 
The  President  of  the  United  States,  with  many  other  dis 
tinguished  individuls,  repaired  to  Mount  Vernon,  while  letters, 
addresses,  funeral  orations,  and  all  the  tokens  of  sorrow  and 
respect,  loaded  the  mails  from  every  quarter  of  the  country, 
offering  the  sublime  tribute  of  a  nation's  mourning  for  a 
nation's  benefactor. 

"Although  the  great  sun  of  attraction  had  sunk  in  the  west, 
still  the  radiance  shed  by  his  illustrious  life  and  actions  drew 
crowds  of  pilgrims  to  his  tomb.  The  establishment  of  Mount 
Vernon  was  kept  up  to  its  former  standard,  and  the  lady  pre 
sided  with  her  wonted  ease  and  dignity  of  manner  at  her 
hospitable  board ;  she  relaxed  not  in  her  attentions  to  her 
I  domestic  concerns,  performing  the  arduous  duties  of  the  mistress 
of  so  extensive  an  establishment,  although  in  the  sixty-ninth 
year  of  her  age,  and  evidently  suffering  in  her  spirits,  from 
the  heavy  bereavement  she  had  so  lately  sustained. 

"  In  little  more  than  two  years  from  the  demise  of  the 
chief,  Mrs.  Washington  became  alarmingly  ill  from  an  attack 
of  bilious  fever.  From  her  advanced  age,  the  sorrow  that 
preyed  upon  her  spirits,  and  the  severity  of  the  attack,  the 
family  physician  gave  but  little  hope  of  a  favourable  issue. 
The  lady  herself  was  perfectly  aware  that  her  hour  was  nigh ; 
she  assembled  her  grandchildren  at  her  bedside,  discoursed 
to  them  on  their  respective  duties  through  life,  spoke  of  the 
happy  influences  of  religion  on  the  affairs  of  this  world,  of 
the  consolations  they  had  afforded  her  in  many  and  trying 
afflictions,  and  of  the  hopes  they  held  out  of  a  blessed  im 
mortality;  and  then,  surrounded  by  her  weeping  relatives. 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  485 


friends,  and  domestics,  the  venerable  relict  of  Washington 
resigned  her  life  into  the  hands  of  her  Creator,  in  the  seventy- 
first  year  of  her  age. 

"Agreeably  to  her  directions,  her  remains  were  placed  in  a 
leaden  coffin,  and  entombed  by  the  side  of  those  of  the  chief, 
to  await  the  pleasure  of  the  government. 

"  In  person,  Mrs.  Washington  was  well  formed,  and  some 
what  below  the  middle  size.  To  judge  from  her  portrait  at 
Arlington  House,  done  by  Woolaston,  when  she  was  in  the 
bloom  of  life,  she  must  at  that  period  have  been  eminently 
handsome.  In  her  dress,  though  plain,  she  was  so  scrupu 
lously  neat,  that  ladies  have  often  wondered  how  Mrs.  Wash 
ington  could  wear  a  gown  for  a  week,  go  through  her  kitchen 
and  laundries,  and  all  the  varieties  of  places  in  the  routine  of 
domestic  management,  and  yet  the  gown  retain  its  snow-like 
whiteness,  unsullied  by  even  a  single  speck.  In  her  conduct 
to  her  servants,  her  discipline  was  prompt,  yet  humane,  and 
her  household  was  remarkable  for  the  excellence  of  its  do 
mestics. 

"  Our  filial  task  is  done.  Few  females  have  ever  figured 
in  the  great  drama  of  life,  amid  scenes  so  varied  and  impos 
ing,  with  so  few  faults  and  so  many  virtues  as  the  subject  of 
this  brief  memoir.  Identified  with  the  father  of  his  country 
in  the  great  events  which  led  to  the  establishment  of  a  na 
tion's  independence,  Mrs.  Washington  necessarily  partook 
much  of  his  thoughts,  his  councils,  and  his  views.  Often  at 
his  side  in  that  awful  period  that  '  tried  men's  souls/  her 
cheerfulness  soothed  his  anxieties,  her  firmness  inspired  con 
fidence,  while  her  devotional  piety  toward  the  Supreme  Being 
enabled  her  to  discern  a  ray  of  hope,  amid  the  darkness  of  a 
horizon  clouded  by  despair. 

"After  a  long  life  abounding  in  vicissitudes,  having  a  full 
measure  of  sorrows,  but  with  many  and  high  enjoyments,  the 
venerable  Martha  Washington  descended  to  the  grave,  cheered 
by  the  prospect  of  a  blessed  immortality,  and  mourned  by 
the  millions  of  a  mighty  empire." 

u  Silence  was  on  her  throne — the  moon  and  stars, 
Hush'd  by  her  lifted  sceptre,  softly  walk'd 


486  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1781, 

Their  azure  pathway ;  and  the  quiet  earth 
Had  not  a  rustling  leaf,  for  the  lull'd  winds 
Slept  in  the  hill-side  shadows,  and  the  trees 
Leaned  o'er  their  images,  all  dark  and  still, 
In  deep  unruffled  waters. 

There  were  tents, 

White  in  the  mellow  moonlight,  where  a  host 
Of  weary  warriors  lay,  in  such  repose, 
As  though  the  camp  had  been  a  field  of  tombs, 
And  all  the  host  were  mouldering.     Here  and  tkere 
The  armed  sentinel  paced  to  and  fro, 
Or  wondering  at  the  beauty  of  the  scene, 
Or  musing  on  the  future,  gazing  sad 
Upon  his  shadow  ;  feeling  that  his  life 
Was  transient  likewise,  and  would  disappear 
In  the  night  of  death,  as  disappeared  the  shade 
When  the  moon  darken'd,  and  the  passing  mist 
Made  all  its  outlines  blend  in  fellow  gloom. 
The  instruments  of  battle,  fraught  no  more 
WTith  human  vengeance,  lay  as  harmlessly 
As  when  they  slumber' d  in  their  native  hills, 
Untaught  to  thunder  and  unstain'd  with  blood. 
The  banner,  that  had  waved  o'er  fields  of  slain, 
Was  now  its  bearer's  pillow ;  and  he  dream'd, 
With  his  head  resting  on  rent  folds,  of  love, 
And  fireside  peace,  and  female  tenderness. 
That  sleeping  host  concentred  in  itself 
The  hopes  of  a  wide  world.     Fell  Tyraany — 
The  fiend,  grown  gray  in  shortening  human  life, 
Who  joys  the  most  when  joys  mankind  the  least. 
And  scourges  most  who  lowliest  submit — 
Had  spread  his  sails,  and  push'd  his  giant  prow 
From  a  far  isle,  and  o'er  the  trembling  sea 
Pursued  his  scornful  course,  and,  landing  proud 
Upon  this  mighty  continent,  had  call'd 
The  nation  to  approach,  and  kiss  his  rod. 
His  helm  was  like  a  mountain,  and  his  plume 
Gloom'd  like  a  cloud ;  his  lifted  sword  far  shone — 
A  threatening  comet ;  loud  his  thunder- voice 
Demanded  death  or  crouching;  and  his  stamp 
Shook  the  firm  hills,  and  made  the  whole  earth  reel. 
Many  had  gone — led  by  the  hand  of  Fear — 
And  knelt  unto  the  monster,  kiss'd  his  rod, 
And  pointed  at  their  brethren's  breasts  their  swords. 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  487 

But  these  had  seized  their  weapons,  and  stood  up, 
E'en  in  his  very  shadow,  and  his  threats 
Answer' d  like  men,  and  rang  their  shields  for  war. 
But  hitherto  these  valiant  ones  had  fail'd 
In  the  fierce  conflict ;  and,  in  rest,  were  now 
Waiting  the  morrow,  and  a  deadlier  shock, 

But  one  was  watchful  in  that  silent  hour, 

Whose  heart  had  gather'd  to  itself  the  cares 

Of  all  his  struggling  brethren,  and  was  sad 

That  still  Success  was  herald  to  the  fiend. 

Out  from  his  tent  he  came,  and  when  he  heard 

No  sound,  he  joy'd  to  think  that  woe  had  not 

So  heavily  press'd  upon  the  sleepers'  hearts 

As  on  his  own  ;  and  then  he  felt  a  weight 

Still  heavier  fall  upon  himself,  as  thought 

Pictured  the  thousands  trusting  in  his  arm  ; 

The  slumberers  round — the  nation's  aged  ones, 

Whose  dim  eyes  ceaseless  wept  o'er  scenes  of  blood — 

The  mourning  widows,  clasping  to  their  breasts 

Their  farnish'd  infants — and  the  virgins,  pale, 

Bereft  of  love,  and  in  the  arms  of  lust 

Dying  a  thousand  deaths  ! 

On  the  bare  earth 

He  knelt,  in  supphance  meek;  and  humbly  laid 
Beside  him,  his  plumed  helmet,  and  his  sword, 
Unsheath'd  and  glittering,  and  ask'd  of  God 
To  look  on  him,  all  helpless,  and  to  bless 
His  nerveless  arm  with  might  and  victory — 
To  smile  on  his  worn  warriors,  and  infuse 
Spirit  and  fire  in  every  languid  pulse — 
To  frown  upon  the  tyrant,  and  destroy — 
And  bid  the  mountains  sing,  from  pole  to  pole, 
The  song  of  liberty,  and  the  free  waves 
Clap  their  glad  hands,  and  answer  from  afar. 

God  heard  and  answer' d — and  the  spirit  of  Strength 

Walk'd  in  the  camp,  from  tent  to  tent,  and  breathed 

An  iron  vigour  through  the  sleepers'  frames, 

And  in  their  hearts  a  courage  ne'er  to  quail. 

And  Weakness  sought  the  valley,  where  the  foe, 

Pillow'd  upon  a  hill,  stretch'd  his  huge  length 

In  cumbrous  slumber;  and  his  giant  limbs 

Grew  soft  as  babe's;  while  Mockery  soothed  his  soul 

With  dreams  of  speedy  triumph,  and  rich  spoil. 


488  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1781. 

And  Truth  came  down,  and  charm'd  the  suppliant 

With  promise  of  deliverance  soon  to  be. 

And  o'er  the  mountain-top  came  young  Success : 

The  sentry  had  not  hail'd  her  as  she  pass'd, 

But  shut  his  eyes  in  fright,  and  thought  he  saw 

A  ghost,  nor  dream'd  that  she  could  leave  the  fiend. 

Washington  rose  in  peace,  replaced  his  helm 

Upon  his  brow,  and  sheath'd  his  glittering  sword, 

And  felt  a  power  was  on  him  none  could  stay  ! 

Oh !  I  have  read  of  chieftains  who  call'd  out 

Their  banner'd  multitudes,  and  circled  round 

The  noon-day  altar,  and  anon  look'd  up ; 

While  the  white-bearded  priest  plunged  deep  the  knife 

In  fellow  flesh,  and  bathed  himself  in  gore, 

To  appease  the  gods  and  gain  celestial  aid  ! 

And  I  have  read  of  armies,  front  to  front, 

Pausing  in  awful  silence,  with  the  match 

Blazing  o'er  loaded  cannon,  and  bright  swords 

Flashing  in  vengeful  hands  ;  while  solemnly 

Uncover'd  chaplains  bow'd  between  the  foes, 

And  pour'd  their  mingling  prayers — ere  Death  began 

His  sacrifice  unto  the  Prince  of  Hell ! 

But  this  was  gilded  seeming — but  a  mere  show 

To  warm  the  vassal  soldiers  to  high  thoughts, 

And  make  them  glow  for  carnage — not  for  right. 

'T  was  mumbling  prayer  to  God  with  lips  profane, 

While  their  hearts  wish'd  the  answer  of  a  shout 

From  the  excited  ranks — the  cry  for  blood. 

They  look'd  upon  their  warriors,  as  their  dogs 

Are  look'd  upon  by  sportsmen ;  and  they  hoped 

Such  solemn  mockeries  might  their  men  inspire, 

As  gentle  pattings  fire  unloosed  hound  : 

And  all  their  plan  was  but  to  curb  their  rage 

Till  it  grew  fierce,  then  burst  the  bands  and  urge 

The  hosts  to  slaughter ! 

Pure  Sincerity 

Delights  to  kneel  in  solitude,  and  feels 
God's  presence  most  where  none  but  God  beholds. 
And  when  I  think  of  our  high-hearted  chief 
Watching  while  others  slept — swelling  his  soul 
To  sympathize  with  thousands  ;  yea,  to  care 
For  other's  cares,  while  by  themselves  forgot ; 
Joying  to  find  Repose  had  quieted 
The  tents  of  all  around,  yet  keeping  far 


1781.]  REVOLUTION.  489 

Her  presence  from  his  own ;  and  when  I  think 

Of  his  divestment  of  self-strength,  and  deep 

And  fervent  longing  for  Almighty  aid — 

I  feel  as  if  Sincerity  did  smile 

Upon  that  hour,  and  name  it  in  her  joy 

The  Eden  of  Duration's  purest  page 

In  the  truth-written  history  of  time  ! 

Surely  that  quiet  scene  was  fraught  with  life, 

And  circling  angels  wonder'd  while  they  heard 

The  hero's  soul  expressing  secretly 

And  sacredly,  before  the  all-seeing  God, 

No  care,  no  wish,  but  for  his  country's  good ! 

And  wonder'd — nay,  they  wonder'd  not  that  God 

Should  sanctify  the  life-destroying  sword : 

For 't  was  thy  sword,  0  sainted  Washington  ! 


490  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


PAET  IV. 
THE  LATE  WAR. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Declaration  of  War  against  Great  Britain — Battle  of  Tippecanoe, 

"  If  the  deeds  of  your  fathers  are  yet  blazing  in  your  souls,  assert  and 
|  maintain  the  dignity  and  honour  of  your  country." 

"  Here  's  an  arm  for  thee,  my  country ; 

'T  will  far  and  sternly  dare. 
When  the  cloudy  battle  gathers  dark, 

And  the  war-shouts  rend  the  air. 

Land  of  our  patriot  fathers  ! 

Land  of  the  '  mighty  free  !' 
Here  's  a  loud  hurrah  for  Washington, 

And  his  home  of  liberty. 

Lift  the  noble  flag  above  us  ! 

Let  the  stormy  war-drums  roil ; 
Those  stars  are  high  as  the  warrior's  hopes — 

That  music  speaks  his  souL 

Arm  for  the  stirring  conflict ! 

Let  the  serried  spears  flash  high  : 
Arm  !  for  the  God  of  battle  leads 

Our  hosts  to  victory!" 

"  What  hallows  ground  where  heroes  sleep  ? 
'T  is  not  the  sculptured  piles  you  heap  ! 
In  dews  that  heavens  far  distant  weep, 

Their  turf  may  bloom." — Campbell. 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  491 

THE  world  is  a  kaleidoscope,  and  we  now  produce  other 
pictures,  which  we  hope  may  interest  the  reader.  In  our  in 
troduction  to  this  part  we  must  be  brief,  to  find  room  to  set 
forth  the  glory  of  our  distinguished  navy,  together  with  a  few 
great  battles  on  the  land. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1812,  a  bill  declaring  war  against 
Great  Britain  passed  the  House  of  Representatives  by  a 
majority  of  seventy-nine  to  forty-nine.  After  a  discussion  of 
this  bill  in  the  Senate  till  the  17th,  it  passed  that  body  also, 
by  a  majority  of  nineteen  to  thirteen,  and  the  succeeding  day, 
18th,  received  the  signature  of  the  President,  James  Madison. 

The  principal  grounds  of  war,  as  set  forth  in  a  message  of 
the  president  to  Congress,  June  1st,  and  further  explained 
by  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations,  in  their  report  on 
the  subject  of  the  message,  were,  summarily :— The  impress 
ment  of  American  seamen  by  the  British; — the  blockade  of  her 
enemies'  ports,  supported  by  no  adequate  force,  in  consequence 
of  which,  the  American  commerce  had  been  plundered  in 
every  sea,  and  the  great  staples  of  the  country  cut  off  from 
their  legitimate  markets ; — and  the  British  orders  in  council. 

On  these  grounds  the  president  urged  the  declaration  of 
war.  In  unison  with  the  recommendation  of  the  president, 
the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations  concluded  their  report 
as  follows : 

"  Your  committee,  believing  that  the  freeborn  sons  of 
America  are  worthy  to  enjoy  the  liberty  which  their  fathers 
purchased  at  the  price  of  much  blood  and  treasure,  and 
seeing,  by  the  measures  adopted  by  Great  Britain,  a  course 
commenced  and  persisted  in,  which  might  lead  to  a  loss  of 
national  character  and  independence,  feel  no  hesitation  in 
advising  resistance  by  force,  in  which  the  Americans  of  the 
present  day  will  prove  to  the  enemy  and  the  world,  that  we 
have  not  only  inherited  that  liberty  which  our  fathers  gave 
us,  but  also  the  will  and  power  to  maintain  it.  Relying  on 
the  patriotism  of  the  nation,  and  confidently  trusting  that  the 
Lord  of  Hosts  will  go  with  us  to  battle  in  a  righteous  cause, 
and  crown  our  efforts  with  success,  your  committee  recom 
mend  an  immediate  appeal  to  arms," 


492  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1812. 


Against  this  declaration  of  war,  the  minority  in  the  House 
of  Representatives,  among  which  were  found  the  principal 
part  of  the  delegation  from  New  England,  in  an  address  to 
their  constituents,  solemnly  protested,  on  the  ground  that  the 
wrongs  of  which  the  United  States  complained,  although  in 
some  respects  grievous,  were  not  of  a  nature,  in  the  present 
'state  of  the  world,  to  justify  war,  or  such  as  war  would  be 
likely  to  remedy.  On  the  subject  of  impressment,  they  urged 
that  the  question  between  the  two  countries  had  once  been 
honourably  and  satisfactorily  settled,  in  the  treaty  negotiated 
with  the  British  court  by  Messrs.  Monroe  and  Pinckney ;  and 
although  that  treaty  had  not  been  ratified  by  Mr.  Jefferson, 
the  arrangements  might  probably  again  be  made.  In  relation 
to  the  second  cause  of  war,  the  minority  replied,  that  this 
was  not  designed  to  injure  the  commerce  of  the  United  States, 
but  was  retaliatory  upon  France,  which  had  taken  the  lead 
in  aggressions  upon  neutral  rights.  In  addition,  it  was  said, 
that  as  the  repeal  of  the  French  decrees  had  been  officially 
announced,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  a  revocation  of  the 
orders  in  council  would  soon  follow. 

In  the  conclusion  of  the  protest,  the  minority  spoke  as 
follows : 

"  The  undersigned  cannot  refrain  from  asking,  What  are 
the  United  States  to  gain  by  this  war  ?  Will  the  gratification 
of  some  privateersmen  compensate  the  nation  for  that  sweep 
of  our  legitimate  commerce  by  the  extended  marine  of  our 
I  enemy,  which  this  desperate  act  invites  ?  Will  Canada  com 
pensate  the  Middle  States  for  New  York ;  or  the  Western 
States  for  New  Orleans  ?  Let  us  not  be  deceived.  A  war 
of  invasion  may  invite  a  retort  of  invasion.  When  we  visit 
the  peaceable,  and  to  us  innocent  colonies  of  Great  Britain 
with  the  horrors  of  war,  can  we  be  assured  that  our  own 
coast  will  not  be  visited  with  like  horrors  ? 

"At  a  crisis  of  the  world  such  as  the  present,  and  under 
impressions  such  as  these,  the  undersigned  could  not  consider 
the  war  into  which  the  United  States  have  in  secret  been 
precipitated,  as  necessary,  or  required  by  any  moral  duty,  or 
any  political  expediency." 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  493 

As  a  difference  of  views  respecting  the  war,  which  had 
now  been  declared,  prevailed  in  Congress,  so  the  country 
generally  was  divided  into  two  opposite  parties  respecting  it ; 
the  friends  of  the  administration  universally  commending, 
and  its  oppose rs  as  extensively  censuring  and  condemning  the 
measure.  By  the  former,  the  war  was  strenuously  urged  to 
be  unavoidable  and  just ;  by  the  latter,  with  equal  decision, 
it  was  pronounced  to  be  impolitic,  unnecessary,  and  unjust. 

But  before  war  was  declared,  though  its  approach  appeared 
manifest,  an  engagement  took  place,  May,  1811,  between  the 
American  frigate  President,  commanded  by  Captain  Rogers, 
and  a  British  sloop  of  war,  the  Little  Belt,  commanded  by 
Captain  Bingham.  The  attack  was  commenced  by  the  latter 
vessel,  without  provocation,  and,  in  the  rencontre,  she  suffered 
greatly  in  her  men  and  rigging. 

A  court  of  inquiry  was  ordered  on  the  conduct  of  Captain 
Rogers,  which  decided  that  it  had  been  satisfactorily  proved 
to  the  court,  that  Captain  Rogers  hailed  the  Little  Belt  first 
— that  his  hail  was  not  satisfactorily  answered — that  the 
Little  Belt  fired  the  first  gun — and  that  it  was  without  pre 
vious  provocation,  or  justifiable  cause,  &c.  &c. 

During  the  same  year,  it  became  obvious  that  the  cloud  of 
war,  which  had  so  long  darkened  our  western  frontier,  must 
shortly  burst,  and  pour  out  its  contents  of  fury  and  desola 
tion  upon  the  unprotected  habitations  of  the  settlers. 

The  insidious  enmity  of  the  Indians,  which  had  been  kept 
alive  and  nourished  so  long  by  the  sinister  policy  of  England, 
began  to  assume  a  bolder  aspect.  Their  murmurs  were 
changed  into  threats ;  their  complaints  to  vows  of  vengeful 
retribution.  Great  Britain  also  had  strengthened  the  posts 
which  she  had  retained  in  her  possession,  contrary  to  all  good 
faith,  and  had  placed  Canada  in  a  state  of  defence.  Her  out 
rages  upon  our  commerce  had  become  such  as  a  brave  nation 
could  no  longer  palliate  or  excuse.  The  patience  of  the  Ame 
rican  people  at  length  became  exhausted,  and  throughout  her 
wide  domain,  the  democracy  of  the  land  demanded  a  vindi 
cation  of  their  rights,  and  a  redress  of  their  wrongs.  The 

prospect  of  war  was  viewed  with  enthusiasm  in  the  West. 

_ 


494  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1812- 


Governor  Harrison,  always  foremost  in  the  hour  of  his 
country's  danger,  applied  to  President  Madison  for  authority 
to  prepare  the  frontier  for  the  approaching  contest. 

An  armed  force  was  instantly  supplied  him,  from  Ohio, 
Kentucky,  and  Indiana ;  but  he  was  ordered  "  to  abstain  from 
hostilities  of  any  kind  whatever,  and  to  any  degree,  not  in 
dispensably  required." 

A  more  disadvantageous  and  trying  position  than  that 
which  Harrison  occupied,  cannot  well  be  conceived.  Before 
him  was  arrayed  his  enemy,  in  open  preparation  for  battle ; 
behind  him  lay  a  defenceless  population,  from  which  all  the 
able-bodied  men  had  been  drafted,  or  had  volunteered  to  form 
the  army :  on  the  right  and  left  stretched  the  forest,  which 
it  was  impossible  to  guard,  and  through  which  the  foe  could, 
at  any  moment,  fall  back  upon  the  unprotected  settlers  in  the 
rear,  and  carry  the  torch  and  knife  to  the  home  and  throats 
of  every  family.  General  Harrison  had  not  the  power  to 
attack.  Until  blood  had  stained  the  tomahawk,  or  the  victim 
had  writhed  beneath  the  torture,  he  could  not  even  unsheath 
his  sword.  Every  advantage  was  conferred  upon  the  enemy. 
In  the  defile  of  the  mountain,  on  the  plain,  by  night  or  by 
day,  in  detachments,  or  en  masse,  he  might  come  on,  when, 
where,  and  as  he  chose. 

The  genius  of  Harrison — "the  man  who  never  lost  a 
battle,"  who  never  yielded  to  a  foreign  foe — was  equal  to 
this  crisis ;  and,  by  a  master-stroke  of  policy,  he  conquered 
every  disadvantage,  and  moved  down  upon  the  Prophet's 
town,  where  all  the  hostile  Indians  were  assembled.  We  will 
not  accompany  him  on  his  dreary  march  through  the  wilder 
ness,  nor  recount  the  mishaps  and  adventures  which  befel 
him.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that,  on  the  5th  of  November,  he  dis 
covered  the  Prophet's  town,  about  five  miles  in  advance  of 
him. 

Harrison  now  used  every  precaution  to  guard  against  an 
attack.  Interpreters  were  sent  to  the  enemy,  who  refused  to 
hear  them.  At  length  Captain  Dubois  was  sent  forward  with 
a  flag ;  but  the  Indians,  in  defiance  of  his  sacred  character, 
made  an  unsuccessful  effort  to  cut  him  off  from  the  army. 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  495 


Harrison,  on  learning  this,  resolved  to  treat  them  as  enemies, 
considering  this  act  of  aggression  a  sufficient  justification 
under  his  orders.  He  was  preparing  for  an  attack  on  them, 
when  he  was  met  by  three  chiefs,  who  came  to  avow,  on  the 
Indians'  behalf,  a  disposition  for  peace.  A  suspension  of  hos 
tilities  till  the  next  day  was  agreed  upon,  and  Harrison  moved 
his  army  above  the  town,  and,  with  his  usual  judgment,  se 
lected  an  encampment  possessing  every  advantage  of  posi 
tion,  together  with  a  full  supply  of  wood  and  water  for  the 
men. 

It  was  during  this  night  that  the  treacherous  savages  held 
a  council,  and,  in  open  violation  of  their  compact,  resolved  to 
attack  the  camp  of  Harrison  before  the  break  of  day. 

Before  proceeding  to  a  description  of  the  celebrated  battle 
which  followed  this  resolution,  we  will  pause  to  relate  an  in 
cident  which  occurred  this  night,  and  which  fully  illustrates 
the  humanity  and  benevolence  of  Harrison's  heart.  Let 
those,  if  any  there  be,  who  affect  to  dread  his  military  cha 
racter,  read  this  and  reflect. 

Ben,  a  negro  who  belonged  to  the  camp,  deserted  and  went 
over  to  the  Indians,  and  entered  into  a  conspiracy  to  assassi 
nate  Governor  Harrison,  at  the  time  the  savages  commenced 
their  attack.  Being  apprehended  whilst  lurking  about  the 
Governor's  marque,  waiting  an  opportunity  to  accomplish  this 
foul  deed,  he  was  tried  by  a  court-martial  and  sentenced  to 
be  shot.  The  execution  of  this  sentence  was  delayed  for  a 
short  time,  in  consequence  of  the  troops  being  engaged  in  for 
tifying  the  camp.  In  the  mean  time,  the  negro  was  put  into 
Indian  stocks — that  is,  a  log  split  open,  notches  cut  into  it 
to  fit  the  culprit's  legs,  the  upper  piece  then  laid  on,  and 
the  whole  firmly  staked  into  the  ground.  The  Governor  in 
terposed,  and  pardoned  the  culprit.  The  reason  assigned  by 
him  for  his  clemency,  was  as  follows : — "  The  fact  was,  that 
I  began  to  pity  him,  and  could  not  screw  myself  up  to  the 
point  of  giving  the  fatal  order.  If  he  had  been  out  of  my 
sight,  he  would  have  been  executed.  The  poor  wretch  lay 
confined  before  my  fire,  his  face  receiving  the  rain  that  occa 
sionally  fell,  and  his  eyes  constantly  turned  upon  me,  as  if 


496  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1812. 


imploring  mercy.  I  could  not  withstand  the  appeal,  and  I 
determined  to  give  him  another  chance  for  his  life."  This 
act  of  magnanimous  lenity  displays,  in  bright  colours,  the 
goodness  of  Harrison's  heart,  and  proves  that  no  elevation  of 
rank  could  cause  him  to  forget  the  feelings  of  his  fellow-men : 
resentment,  if  it  dwelt  in  his  bosom,  yielded  to  the  pleading 
of  mercy. 

After  the  treaty  for  a  suspension  of  hostilities  with  the 
savages,  the  men  busied  themselves  in  fortifying  the  camp. 
This  done,  they  retired  to  rest.  Throughout  the  multitude 
who  had  lately  been  so  active  and  busy,  not  a  sound  was 
heard,  save  that  of  the  sentinel  as  he  paced  his  lonely  round. 
The  moon  was  overcast  with  clouds,  and  an  occasional  drop 
ping  of  rain  denoted  an  approaching  convulsion  of  the  ele 
ments.  All  was  as  silent  as  the  grave,  when  a  single  shot 
was  heard,  and  immediately  the  dreadful  war-whoop  arose 
in  the  quarter  whence  it  proceeded. 

Harrison,  who  had  already  risen,  mounted  the  first  horse 
he  could  procure,  and  rode  directly  to  the  point  of  attack. 
The  guard  had  already  been  driven  in  by  the  savages,  but 
Harrison,  with  undaunted  heroism,  rallied  his  men,  received 
the  foe  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  drove  them  back. 

In  a  short  time,  the  troops  were  marshalled  in  order  of 
battle,  and  a  most  deadly  conflict  raged  until  the  dawn  of 
day.  Major  Davis  fell  mortally  wounded,  as  did  also  Colonel 
Isaac  White.  The  savages  fought  with  all  the  fury  of  reli 
gious  fanaticism,  but  every  effort  against  our  troops  was 
promptly  met  and  gallantly  repulsed.  At  length  the  Gover 
nor  succeeded  in  breaking  the  enemy's  left  wing,  and  imme 
diately  after,  with  Cook  and  Larrabe's  companies,  he  charged 
their  right,  and  put  their  main  body  to  flight,  and  thus  termi 
nated  the  battle. 

The  battle  at  Tippecanoe  was  one  of  the  most  important 
conflicts  which  ever  occurred  between  the  Indians  and  the 
whites.  The  forces  on  either  side  were  nearly  equal.  The 
Indians,  however,  chose  the  time,  place  and  mode  of  attack ; 
and  yet,  notwithstanding,  by  the  gallantry  and  courage  of 
Governor  Harrison,  they  were  defeated. 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  497 


The  high  sense  entertained  by  the  government  of  the  con 
duct  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  in  this  conflict  is  expressed 
in  a  message  from  the  President  to  Congress,  dated  December 
18,  1811. — "While  it  is  deeply  to  be  lamented,"  says  Mr. 
Madison,  "  that  so  many  valuable  lives  have  been  lost  in  the 
action,  which  took  place  on  the  9th  ult.,  Congress  will  see 
with  satisfaction  the  dauntless  spirit  and  fortitude  victoriously 
displayed  by  every  description  of  troops  engaged,  as  well  as 
the  collected  firmness  which  distinguished  their  commander, 
on  an  occasion  requiring  the  utmost  exertion  of  valour  and 
discipline." 

Resolutions  were  also  passed  by  the  Legislatures  of  Indiana 
and  Kentucky,  of  a  similar  purport.  The  following  is  the 
resolution  of  the  latter  body  : 

"  Resolved,  that  in  the  late  campaign  against  the  Indians 
on  the  Wabash,  Governor  William  Henry  Harrison  has,  in 
the  opinion  of  this  Legislature,  behaved  like  a  hero,  a  patriot, 
and  a  general ;  and  that  for  his  cool,  deliberate,  skilful,  and 
gallant  conduct  in  the  late  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  he  deserves 
the  warmest  thanks  of  the  nation." 

The  thanks  thus  conferred  were  well  merited,  as  nothing 
could  exceed  the  daring  with  which  he  exposed  his  person,  at 
those  points  where  the  battle  raged  most  hotly. 

In  some  instances  this  exposure  was  so  great  as  to  demand 
the  interference  of  his  officers — a  circumstance  which  has 
happened  to  no  other  officer  of  whom  we  have  ever  read, 
except  Washington  at  Long  Island.  The  following  instance 
is  given  by  McAflfee.  In  speaking  of  his  services  during  the 
combat,  he  says : 

"  The  reinforcements  drawn  occasionally  from  the  points 
most  secure,  were  conducted  by  himself  and  formed  on  the 
spot  where  their  services  were  most  wanted.  The  officers 
and  men,  who  believed  that  their  ultimate  success  depended 
on  his  safety,  warmly  remonstrated  against  his  so  constantly 
exposing  himself.  Upon  one  occasion,  as  he  was  approaching 
an  angle  of  the  line,  against  which  the  Indians  were  advancing 
with  horrible  yells,  Lieutenant  Emerson,  of  the  Dragoons, 
seized  the  bridle  of  his  horse,  and  earnestly  entreated  that  he 

63  2n* 


498  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 

would  not  go  there ;  but  the  governor,  putting  spurs  to  his 
horse,  pushed  on  to  the  point  of  attack,  where  the  enemy 
were  received  with  firmness,  and  driven  back." 

The  effect  of  the  victory  of  Tippecanoe,  was  the  immediate 
dispersion  of  the  hostile  bands  of  barbarians,  who  had  here 
tofore  hung  on  the  western  frontier.  The  various  tribes  de 
nounced  Tecumseh,  and  disclaimed  all  connection  with  him, 
and  shortly  afterwards  sent  eighty  deputies  to  Governor 
Harrison,  to  treat  for  peace,  on  the  terms  of  total  submission. 
Far  di£lrent  would  have  been  the  scene  had  the  Prophet 
triumphed — towns  would  have  been  sacked,  hamlets  burned, 
and  the  peaceful  tenement  of  the  settler  offered  up  a  sacrifice 
to  savage  fury. 


CHAPTER  II. 

General  Hull  surrenders  his  Army  to  General  Brock  without  a  Battle — His  Trial 
— His  Sentence— Pardoned  by  the  President — His  Name  is  struck  from  the  Rolls  of 
the  Army. 

44  The  better  part  of  valour  is — discretion." 

AT  lea«-t  General  Hull,  as  well  as  Falstaff,  appears  to  have 
been  of  i  opinion ;  but  every  general  rule  has  its  exceptions 
in  such  iiuUiers,  and  Congress  did  not  agree  with  him. 

On  the  16th  of  August,  General  Hull,  Governor  of  Michigan, 
who  had  been  sent  at  the  head  of  about  2500  men  to  Detroit, 
with  a  view  of  putting  an  end  to  Indian  hostilities  in  that 
country,  surrendered  his  army  to  General  Brock,  without  a 
battle,  and  with  it  the  fort  at  Detroit. 

The  sensations  produced  by  this  occurrence  throughout  the 
United  States,  and  particularly  in  the  Western  country,  can 
scarcely  be  described.  So  entirely  unprepared  was  the  public 
mind  for  this  extraordinary  event,  that  no  one  could  believe 
it  to  have  taken  place,  until  communicated  from  an  official 
source. 

In  his  official  despatch,  Hull  took  great  pains  to  free  his 
conduct  from  censure.  Among  the  reasons  for  his  surrender, 
and  those  which  determined  him  to  that  course,  he  assigned 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  499 

the  want  of  provision  to  sustain  the  siege,  the  expected  rein 
forcements  of  the  enemy,  and  the  savage  ferocity  of  the 
Indians,  should  he  ultimately  be  obliged  to  capitulate. 

The  government,  however,  not  being  satisfied  with  his 
excuses,  ordered  a  court-martial,  before  which  he  was  charged 
with  treason,  cowardice,  and  unofficer-like  conduct.  On  the 
first  charge  the  court  declined  giving  an  opinion :  on  the  two 
last  he  was  sentenced  to  death,  but  was  recommended  to 
mercy,  in  consequence  of  his  revolutionary  services,  and  his 
advanced  age.  The  sentence  was  remitted  by  the  president ; 
but  his  name  was  ordered  to  be  struck  from  the  rolls  of  the 
army. 

A  chapter  without  a  battle  is  rather  an  anomaly  in  our 
work ;  but  for  this  we  are  indebted  to  the  defection  of  General 
Hull. 


CHAPTER   III. 

The  Constitution  captures  the  Guerriere — Great  Damage  to  the  Guerriere — 
She  is  set  on  Fire  and  blown  up — Effects  of  this  brilliant  Victory  on  the  American 
People. 

"  Bis  vincit,  qui  se  vincit  in  yictoria." 
— "  I  will  board  her,  though  she  chide  as  loud 


As  thunder,  when  the  clouds  in  autumn  crack.*" 

THE  Constitution,  commanded  by  Captain  Isaac  Hull,  put 
to  sea  from  Boston,  on  the  3d  of  September.  On  the  19th,  a 
vessel  hove  in  sight,  and  a  chase  instantly  commenced.  It 
was  soon  discovered  to  be  the  Guerriere,  one  of  the  best  fri 
gates  in  the  British  navy,  and  which  seemed  not  averse  to 
the  rencontre,  as  she  backed  her  maintop-sail,  waiting  for 
the  Constitution  to  come  down.  This  was  a  most  desirable 
occurrence  to  our  brave  tars,  as  this  frigate  had  for  some  time 
been  in  search  of  an  American  frigate,  having  given  a  formal 
challenge  to  all  our  vessels  of  the  same  class.  She  had  at 
one  of  her  mast-heads  a  flag,  on  which  her  name  was  in 
scribed  in  large  characters,  by  way  of  gasconade,  and  on 


500  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1812. 

another,  the  words  "  Not  the  Little  Belt,"  in  allusion  to  the 
broadsides  which  the  President  had  given  that  vessel  before 
the  war.  The  Guerriere  had  looked  into  several  of  our  ports, 
and  affected  to  be  exceedingly  anxious  to  earn  the  first  laurel 
from  the  new  enemy.  The  Constitution  being  made  ready 
for  action,  now  bore  down,  her  crew  giving  three  cheers. 
At  first  it  was  the  intention  of  Captain  Hull  to  bring  her  to 
close  action  immediately;  but  on  coming  within  gun-shot  she 
gave  a  broadside  and  filled  away,  then  wore,  giving  a  broad 
side  on  the  other  tack,  but  without  effect.  They  now  con 
tinued  wearing  and  manoeuvring,  on  both  sides,  for  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour,  the  Guerriere  attempting  to  take  a  raking 
position ;  but,  failing  in  this,  she  bore  up,  and  ran  with  her 
top-sail  and  jib  on  the  quarter.  The  Constitution,  perceiving 
this,  made  sail  to  come  up  with  her.  Captain  Hull,  with  ad 
mirable  coolness,  received  the  enemy's  fire  without  returning 
it.  The  enemy,  mistaking  this  conduct  on  the  part  of  the 
American  commander,  continued  to  pour  out  his  broadsides 
with  a  view  to  cripple  his  antagonist.  From  the  Constitution 
not  a  gun  had  been  fired :  Already  had  an  officer  twice  come 
on  deck,  with  information  that  several  of  the  men  had  been 
killed  at  their  guns.  The  gallant  crew,  though  burning  with 
impatience,  silently  awaited  the  orders  of  the  commander. 
The  moment  so  long  looked  for,  at  last  arrived.  Sailing- 
master  Aylwin  having  seconded  the  views  of  the  captain 
with  admirable  skill,  in  bringing  the  vessel  exactly  to  the  sta 
tion  intended,  orders  were  given,  at  five  minutes  before  5  P. 
M.,  to  fire  broadside  after  broadside  in  quick  succession. 
The  crew  instantly  discovered  the  whole  plan,  and  entered 
into  it  with  all  the  spirit  the  circumstance  was  calculated  to 
inspire.  Never  was  any  firing  so  dreadful.  For  fifteen  mi 
nutes  the  vivid  lightning  of  the  Constitution's  guns  continued 
in  one  blaze,  and  their  thunder  roared  with  scarce  an  inter 
mission.  The  enemy's  mizen-mast  had  gone  by  the  board, 
and  he  stood  exposed  to  a  raking  fire,  which  swept  his  decks. 
The  Guerriere  had  now  become  unmanageable ;  her  hull,  rig 
ging  and  sails  dreadfully  torn;  when  the  Constitution  at 
tempted  to  lay  her  on  board.  At  this  moment  Lieutenant 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  501 


Bush,  in  attempting  to  throw  his  marines  on  board,  was 
killed  by  a  musket-ball,  and  the  enemy  shot  ahead,  but  could 
not  be  brought  before  the  wind.  A  raking  fire  now  continued 
for  fifteen  minutes  longer,  when  his  main-mast  and  fore-mast 
went,  taking  with  them  every  spar  excepting  the  bowsprit. 
On  seeing  this,  the  firing  ceased,  and  at  twenty-five  minutes 
past  five  she  surrendered.  "  In  thirty  minutes,"  says  Captain 
Hull,  "  after  we  got  fairly  alongside  of  the  enemy,  she  sur 
rendered,  and  had  not  a  spar  standing,  and  her  hull,  above 
and  below  water,  so  shattered,  that  a  few  more  broadsides 
must  have  carried  her  down."  The  Guerriere  was  so  much 
damaged,  as  to  render  it  impossible  to  bring  her  in ;  she  was 
therefore  set  fire  to  the  next  day,  and  blown  up.  The  dam 
age  sustained  by  the  Constitution  was  comparatively  of  so 
little  consequence,  that  she  actually  made  ready  for  action, 
when  a  vessel  appeared  in  sight  the  next  day.  The  loss  on 
board  the  Guerriere  was  fifteen  killed  and  sixty-three  wounded; 
on  the  side  of  the  Constitution,  seven  killed  and  seven  wounded. 
It  is  pleasing  to  observe,  that  even  the  British  commander, 
on  this  occasion,  bore  testimony  to  the  humanity  and  gene 
rosity  with  which  he  was  treated  by  the  victors.  The  Ame 
rican  frigate  was  somewhat  superior  in  force,  by  a  few  guns ; 
but  this  difference  bore  no  comparison  to  the  disparity  of  the 
conflict.  The  Guerriere  was  thought  to  be  a  match  for  any 
vessel  of  her  class,  and  had  been  amongst  the  largest  in  the 
British  navy.  The  Constitution  arrived  at  Boston  on  the 
28th  of  August,  having  captured  several  merchant  vessels. 

Never  did  any  event  spread  such  an  universal  joy  over  the 
whole  country.  The  gallant  Hull,  and  his  equally  gallant 
officers,  were  received  with  enthusiastic  demonstrations  of 
gratitude  wherever  they  appeared.  He  was  presented  with 
the  freedom  of  all  the  cities  through  which  he  passed  on  his 
way  to  the  seat  of  government,  and  with  many  valuable  do 
nations.  Congress  voted  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  the  crew 
as  a  recompense  for  the  loss  of  the  prize ;  and  the  Executive 
promoted  several  of  the  officers.  Sailing-master  Aylwin, 
who  had  been  severely  wounded,  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  lieutenant;  and  Lieutenant  Morris,  who  had  been  also 


502  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


wounded,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  post-captain.  This 
affair  was  not  a  little  mortifying  to  Great  Britain,  who  for 
thirty  years  had  in  no  instance  lost  a  frigate  in  any  thing  like 
an  equal  conflict.  She  was,  however,  destined  soon  to  bear 
such  mortifications  very  frequently,  as  this  was  the  beginning 
of  that  series  of  glorious  naval  victories,  which  astonished 
the  world,  and  compelled  the  greatest  European  powers  to 
respect  us  on  an  element  on  which  they  had  been  accustomed 
to  rule,  often  without  much  regard  to  the  rights  of  our  re 
public,  the  naval  force  of  which  had  been  treated  with  con 
tempt.  Such  is  the  justice  of  tyrants,  they  respect  force  only, 
and  that  because  they  cannot  avoid  it.  Captain  Hull  was  an 
able  officer,  a  good  disciplinarian,  and  an  honour  to  the 
American  service. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Invasion  of  Canada — Achievements  of  Colonel  Van  Renseelaer. 

"And  made  their  routed  squadrons  feel 
The  temper  of  American  steel." 

UPON  the  declaration  of  war,  the  attention  of  the  American 
general  was  turned  towards  the  invasion  of  Canada;  for 
which  8,000  or  10,000  men,  and  considerable  military  stores 
were  collected  at  different  points  along  the  Canada  line. 
Skilful  officers  of  the  navy  were  also  despatched  for  the  pur 
pose  of  arming  vessels  on  Lakes  Erie,  Ontario,  and  Cham- 
plain,  to  gain,  if  possible,  the  ascendency  there,  and  to  aid 
the  operations  of  the  American  forces. 

The  American  troops  were  distributed  into  three  divisions. 
One  under  General  Harrison,  called  the  north-wrestern  army ; 
a  second  under  General  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer,  at  Lewis- 
town,  called  the  army  of  the  centre ;  and  a  third  under  the 
commander-in-chief,  General  Dearborn,  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Plattsburg  and  Greenbush,  called  the  army  of  the  north. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  13th  of  October,  1812,  a  de 
tachment  of  about  1000  men,  from  the  army  of  the  centre, 
crossed  the  river  Niagara,  and  attacked  the  British  at  Queens- 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  503 


town  heights.  This  detachment,  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Solomon  Van  Rensselaer,  succeeded  in  dislodging  the 
enemy;  but  not  being  reinforced  by  the  militia  from  the 
American  side,  as  was  expected,  they  were  ultimately  re 
pulsed,  and  were  obliged  to  surrender.  The  British  general, 
Brock,  was  killed  during  the  engagement. 

The  forces  designated  to  storm  the  heights,  were  divided 
into  columns:  one,  of  the  300  militia,  under  Colonel  Van 
Rensselaer;  the  other,  of  the  300  regulars,  under  Colonel 
Christie :  these  were  to  be  followed  by  Colonel  Fenwick's 
artillery,  and  then  the  other  troops  in  order. 

Much  embarrassment  was  experienced  by  the  boats  from 
the  eddies,  as  well  as  by  the  shot  of  the  enemy,  in  crossing 
the  river.  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer  led  the  van,  and  landed 
first  with  100  men.  Scarcely  had  he  leaped  from  the  boat, 
when  he  received  four  severe  wounds.  Being,  however,  able 
to  stand,  he  ordered  his  officers  to  move  with  rapidity,  and 
storm  the  fort.  This  service  was  gallantly  performed,  and 
the  enemy  were  driven  down  the  river  in  every  direction. 

Both  parties  were  now  reinforced ;  the  Americans  by 
regulars  and  militia,  the  British  by  the  forty-ninth  regiment, 
consisting  of  600  regulars,  under  General  Brock.  After  a 
desperate  engagement,  the  enemy  were  repulsed,  and  the 
victory  was  thought  complete. 

General  Van  Rensselaer  now  crossed  over,  for  the  purpose 
of  fortifying  the  heights,  preparatory  to  another  attack, 
should  the  repulsed  enemy  be  reinforced.  This  duty  he  as 
signed  to  Lieutenant  Totten,  an  able  engineer. 

But  the  fortune  of  the  day  was  not  yet  decided.  At  three 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  enemy,  being  reinforced  by  seve 
ral  hundred  Chippewa  Indians,  rallied,  and  again  advanced, 
but  were  a  third  time  repulsed.  At  this  moment,  General 
Van  Rensselaer,  perceiving  the  militia  on  the  opposite  side 
embarking  but  slowly,  hastily  recrossed  the  river  to  accele 
rate  their  movements.  But  wrhat  was  his  chagrin,  on  reach 
ing  the  American  side,  to  hear  more  than  twelve  hundred  of 
the  militia  positively  refuse  to  embark.  The  sight  of  the  en 
gagement  had  cooled  that  ardour  which,  previously  to  the 


504  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1812. 


attack,  the  commander-in-chief  could  scarcely  restrain. 
While  their  countrymen  were  nobly  struggling  for  victory, 
they  could  remain  idle  spectators  of  the  scene.  All  that  a 
brave,  resolute,  and  benevolent  commander  could  do,  General 
Van  Rensselaer  did — he  urged,  entreated,  commanded,  but 
it  was  all  in  vain.  Eight  hundred  British  soldiers,  from 
fort  George,  now  appeared,  and  pressed  on  to  renew  the 
attack.  The  Americans,  for  a  time,  continued  to  struggle 
against  this  force,  but  were  finally  obliged  to  surrender  them 
selves  prisoners  of  war. 

The  number  of  American  troops  killed  amounted  to  about 
sixty,  and  about  one  hundred  were  wounded.  Those  that 
surrendered  themselves  prisoners  of  war,  including  the 
wounded,  were  about  seven  hundred.  The  loss  of  the  Brit 
ish  is  unknown,  but  it  must  have  been  severe. 

Although  the  issue  of  this  battle  was  unfortunate,  seldom 
has  American  valour  shone  more  conspicuously,  or  a  victory 
been  relinquished  with  more  reluctance.  Had  but  a  small 
part  of  the  "  idle  men"  passed  over  at  the  critical  moment 
when  urged  by  their  brave  commander,  revolutionary  history 
can  tell  of  few  nobler  achievements  than  this  would  have 
been. 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Wasp  captures  the  Frolic — Terrible  Havoc  on  board  the  Frolic — Reception 
of  Captain  Jones  in  the  United  States. 

41  Palmam  qui  meruit  ferat." 

ANOTHER  brilliant  victory  was  achieved  by  an  American 
vessel  over  an  enemy  greatly  superior  in  force,  and  possess 
ing  many  other  advantages,  in  October. 

Captain  Jones  was  transferred,  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  to  the  command  of  the  sloop  of  war  Wasp,  mounting 
eighteen  twenty-four  pound  carronades,  in  1811,  and  was 
despatched,  in  the  spring  of  1812,  with  communications  from 
our  government  to  its  ministers  at  the  courts  of  St.  Cloud  and 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  505 


St.  James.  Before  he  returned,  war  had  been  declared  by 
the  United  States  against  Great  Britain.  Captain  Jones  re 
fitted  his  ship  with  all  possible  despatch,  and  repaired  to  sea 
on  a  cruise,  rn  which  he  met  with  no  other  luck  than  the 
capture  of  an  inconsiderable  prize.  He  again  put  to  sea  on 
the  13th  of  October,  and  on  the  18th  of  the  month,  after  a 
long  and  heavy  gale,  he  fell  in  with  a  number  of  strongly 
armed  merchantmen,  under  convoy  of  the  British  sloop  of 
war  the  Frolic,  Captain  Whinyates. 

As  this  engagement  has  been  one  of  the  most  decidedly 
honourable  to  the  American  flag,  from  the  superior  force  of 
the  enemy ;  and  as  the  British  writers,  in  endeavouring  to 
account  for  our  successes,  and  to  undervalue  our  victories, 
have  studiously  passed  this  battle  in  silence,  and  seemed 
anxious  to  elbow  it  into  oblivion,  this  occasion  is  taken  to  re- 
publish  a  full  and  particular  account  of  it,  which  we  have 
every  reason  to  believe  is  scrupulously  correct : — 

"A  heavy  swell  was  in  the  sea,  and  the  weather  was  bois 
terous.  The  topgallant-yards  of  the  Wasp  were  taken  down, 
her  topsails  were  close-reefed,  and  she  was  prepared  for  ac 
tion.  About  11  o'clock,  the  Frolic  showed  Spanish  colours, 
and  the  Wasp  immediately  displayed  the  American  ensign 
and  pennant.  At  thirty-two  minutes  past  eleven,  the  Wasp 
came  down  to  windward,  on  her  larboard  side,  within  about 
sixty  yards,  and  hailed.  The  enemy  hauled  down  the  Span 
ish  colours,  hoisted  the  British  ensign,  and  opened  a  fire  of 
cannon  and  musketry.  This  the  Wasp  instantly  returned ; 
and,  coming  nearer  to  the  enemy,  the  action  became  close, 
and  without  intermission.  In  four  or  five  minutes,  the  main- 
topmast  of  the  Wasp  was  shot  away,  and,  falling  down  with 
the  main-topsail-yard  across  the  larboard  fore  and  fore-topsail 
braces,  rendered  her  head  yards  unmanageable  during  the 
rest  of  the  action.  In  two  or  three  minutes  more,  her  gaft 
and  mizen-topgallant-sail  were  shot  away.  Still  she  conti 
nued  a  close  and  constant  fire.  The  sea  was  so  rough  that 
the  muzzles  of  the  Wasp's  guns  were  frequently  in  the  water. 
The  Americans,  therefore,  fired  as  the  ship's  side  was  going 
down,  so  that  their  shot  went  either  on  the  enemy's  deck  or 

64  2s 


506  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY,  [1812. 


below  it,  while  the  English  fired  as  the  vessel  rose,  and  thus 
her  balls  chiefly  touched  the  rigging,  or  were  thrown  away. 
The  Wasp  now  shot  ahead  of  the  Frolic,  raked  her,  and  then 
resumed  her  position  on  the  Frolic's  larboard  bow.  Her  fire 
was  now  obviously  attended  with  such  success,  and  that  of 
the  Frolic  so  slackened,  that  Captain  Jones  did  not  wish  to 
board  her,  lest  the  roughness  of  the  sea  might  endanger  both 
vessels  ;  but  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  more,  every  brace 
of  the  Wasp  was  shot  away,  and  her  rigging  so  much  torn 
to  pieces,  that  he  was  afraid  that  his  masts,  being  unsupported, 
would  go  by  the  board,  and  the  Frolic  be  able  to  escape.  He 
thought,  therefore,  the  best  chance  of  securing  her  was  to 
board,  and  decide  the  contest  at  once.  With  this  view  he 
wore  ship,  and  running  down  on  the  enemy,  the  vessels  struck 
each  other,  the  Wasp's  side  rubbing  along  the  Frolic's  bow, 
so  that  her  jib-boom  came  in  between  the  main  and  mizen- 
rigging  of  the  Wasp,  directly  over  the  heads  of  Captain  Jones 
and  the  first  Lieutenant,  Mr.  Biddle,  who  were  at  that  mo 
ment  standing  together  near  the  capstan.  The  Frolic  lay  so 
fair  for  raking,  that  they  decided  not  to  board  until  they  had 
given  a  closing  broadside.  Whilst  they  were  loading  for  this, 
so  near  wrere  the  two  vessels,  that  the  rammers  of  the  Wasp 
were  pushed  against  the  Frolic's  sides,  and  two  of  her  guns 
went  through  the  bow-ports  of  the  Frolic,  and  swept  the 
whole  length  of  her  deck.  At  this  moment  John  Lang,  a  sea 
man  of  the  Wasp,  a  gallant  fellow,  who  had  been  once  im 
pressed  by  a  British  man-of-war,  jumped  on  a  gun  with  his 
cutlass,  and  was  springing  on  board  the  Frolic;  Captain 
Jones,  wishing  to  fire  again  before  boarding,  called  him  down, 
but  his  impetuosity  could  not  be  restrained,  and  he  was 
already  on  the  bowsprit  of  the  Frolic ;  when  seeing  the  ar 
dour  and  enthusiasm  of  the  Wasp's  crew,  Lieutenant  Biddle 
mounted  on  the  hammock-cloth  to  board.  At  this  signal  the 
crew  followed,  but  Lieutenant  Biddle's  feet  became  entangled 
in  the  rigging  of  the  enemy's  bowsprit,  and  the  midshipman, 
Baker,  in  his  ardour  to  spring  on  board,  laying  hold  of  his 
coat,  he  fell  back  on  the  Wasp's  deck.  He  sprung  up,  and 
as  the  next  swell  of  the  sea  brought  the  Frolic  nearer,  he 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  507 


mounted  her  bowsprit,  where  Lang  and  another  seaman  were 
already.    He  passed  them  on  the  forecastle,  and  was  surprised 
at  not  seeing  a  single  man  alive  on  the  Frolic's  deck,  except 
ing  the  seaman  at  the  wheel,  and  three  officers.     The  deck 
was  slippery  with  blood,  and  strewed  with  the  bodies  of  the 
dead.     As  he  went  forward,  the  captain  of  the  Frolic,  with 
two  other  officers,  who  were  standing  on  the  quarter-deck, 
threw  dowrn  their  swords,  and  made  an  inclination  of  their 
bodies,  denoting  that  they  had  surrendered.     At  this  moment 
the  colours  were  still  flying,  as,  probably,  none  of  the  seamen 
of  the  Frolic  wrould  dare  to  go  into  the  rigging  for  fear  of  the 
musketry  of  the  Wasp.    Lieutenant  Biddle,  therefore,  jumped 
into  the  rigging,  and  hauled  down  the  British  ensign,  and  pos 
session  was  taken  of  the  Frolic  in  forty-three  minutes  after 
the  first  fire.     She  was  in  a  shocking  condition;  the  berth- 
deck,  particularly,  was  crowded  with  the  dead,  wounded  and 
dying ;  a  small  proportion  of  the  Frolic's   crew   only  had 
escaped.     Captain  Jones  instantly  sent  on  board  his  surgeon's 
mate ;  and  all  the  blankets  of  the  Frolic  were  brought  from 
her  slop-room  for  the  comfort  of  the  wounded.     To  increase 
this  confusion,  both  the  Frolic's  masts  soon  fell,  covering  the 
dead  and  every  thing  on  deck,  and  she  lay  a  complete  wreck. 
"  It  now  appeared  rliat  the  Frolic  mounted  sixteen  thirty- 
two  pound  carronades,  four  twelve-pounders  on  the  main- 
deck,  and  two  twelve-pound  carronades.     She  was,  therefore, 
superior  to  the  Wasp  by  exactly  four  twelve-pounders.     The 
number  of  men  on  board,  as  stated  by  the  officers  of  the 
Frolic,  was  one  hundred  and  ten — the  number  of  seamen  on 
board  the  Wasp  was  one  hundred  and  two ;  but  it  could  not 
be  ascertained,  whether  in  this  one  hundred  and  ten  were 
included  the  marines  and  officers ;  for  the  Wasp  had,  besides 
her  one  hundred  and  two  men,  officers  and  marines,  making 
the  whole  crew  about  one  hundred  and  thirty-five.     What  is 
however,  decisive  as  to  their  comparative  force,  is,  that  the 
officers  of  the  Frolic  acknowledged  that  they  had  as  many 
men  as  they  knew  what  to  do  with,  and  in  fact  the  Wasp 
could  have  spared  fifteen  men.     There  was,  therefore,  on  the 
most  favourable  view,  at  least  an  equality  of  men,  and  an 


508  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1812. 

inequality  of  four  guns.  The  disparity  of  loss  was  much 
greater.  The  exact  number  of  killed  and  wounded  on  board 
the  Frolic  could  not  be  precisely  determined ;  but  from  the 
observations  of  our  officers,  and  the  declarations  of  those  of 
the  Frolic,  the  number  could  not  be  less  than  about  thirty 
killed,  including  two  officers ;  and  of  the  wounded,  between 
forty  and  fifty,  the  captain  and  second-lieutenant  being  of  the 
number.  The  Wasp  had  five  men  killed  and  five  slightly 
wounded. 

UA11  hands  were  now  employed  in  clearing  the  deck,  burying 
the  dead,  and  taking  care  of  the  wounded,  when  Captain 
Jones  sent  orders  to  Lieutenant  Biddle  to  proceed  to  Charles 
ton,  or  any  other  southern  port  of  the  United  States  ;  and,  as 
a  suspicious  sail  was  seen  to  windward,  the  Wasp  would 
continue  her  cruise.  The  ships  then  parted.  The  suspicious 
sail  was  now  coming  down  very  fast.  At  first  it  was  supposed 
that  she  was  one  of  the  convoy,  who  had  all  fled  during  the 
engagement,  and  who  now  came  for  the  purpose  of  attacking 
the  prize.  The  guns  of  the  Frolic  were  therefore  loaded, 
and  the  ship  cleared  for  action ;  but  the  enemy,  as  she  ad 
vanced,  proved  to  be  a  seventy-four,  the  Poictiers,  Captain 
Beresford.  She  fired  a  shot  over  the  Frolic;  passed  her; 
overtook  the  Wasp,  the  disabled  state  of  whose  rigging  pre 
vented  her  from  escaping ;  and  then  returned  to  the  Frolic, 
which  could,  of  course,  make  no  resistance.  The  Wasp  and 
Frolic  were  carried  into  Bermuda. 

On  the  return  of  Captain  Jones  to  the  United  States,  he 
was  everywhere  received  with  the  utmost  demonstrations  of 
gratitude  and  admiration.  Brilliant  entertainments  were 
given  him  in  the  cities  through  which  he  passed.  The  Legis 
lature  of  his  native  State  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on 
him  with  their  thanks,  and  to  express  the  "  pride  and  plea 
sure"  they  felt  in  recognising  him  as  a  native  of  their  State. 
In  the  same  resolution,  they  voted  him  an  elegant  piece  of 
plate,  with  appropriate  engravings.  The  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  on  motion  of  Mr.  J.  A.  Bayard,  of  Delaware, 
appropriated  $25,000,  as  a  compensation  to  Captain  Jones 
and  his  crew,  for  the  loss  they  sustained  by  the  recapture  of 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  509 


the  Frolic.     They  also  ordered  a  gold  medal  to  be  presented 
to  the  captain,  and  a  silver  one  to  each  of  his  officers." 

Various  other  marks  of  honour  were  paid  by  the  legislatures 
and  citizens  of  different  States ;  but  the  most  substantial  tes 
timony  of  approbation  which  he  received,  was  the  appoint 
ment  to  the  command  of  the  frigate  Macedonian,  captured 
from  the  British. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Frigate  United  States  captures  the  Macedonian — Battle  fought — Gene 
rosity  of  the  Americans  to  the  Enemy — Story  of  an  Eye -Witness. 

"  Look  here,  upon  this  picture,  and  on  this." — Hamlet. 

"  This  was  the  noblest  Roman  of  them  all." — Julius  Caesar. 

IF  any  doubt  could  still  have  been  entertained  of  the  ability 
of  the  republican  navy  to  contend  successfully  with  that  of 
England,  it  was  removed  by  the  result  of  another  engagement, 
which  took  place  no  long  time  afterwards,  between  two  ves 
sels  of  similar  forcee  to  the  Constitution  and  Guerriere.  The 
frigate  United  States,  Captain  Decatur,  sailed  from  Boston 
on  the  8th  of  October,  in  company  with  the  President,  Con 
gress,  and  Argus,  and  separated  from  them  on  the  13th.  On 
the  25th,  being  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Western  Islands,  she 
fell  in  with  the  British  frigate  Macedonian,  of  forty-nine  guns 
and  three  hundred  men ;  a  vessel  newly  built,  and  in  a  perfect 
state  of  equipment.  Being  to  windward,  the  latter  had  the 
advantage  of  choosing  her  distance;  and,  as  the  United 
States  was,  in  a  great  part,  armed  with  carronades,  she  was 
thus  prevented  from  making  use  of  a  considerable  portion  of 
her  force.  In  consequence  of  this  circumstance,  the  action 
lasted  an  hour  and  a  half;  but  when  the  American  frigate 
was  enabled  to  bring  her  opponent  to  close  quarters,  the  en 
gagement  was  soon  terminated.  The  mizenmast  and  most  of 
the  spars  of  the  Macedonian  being  shot  away,  she  surrendered, 
with  the  loss  of  thirty-six  killed,  and  sixty-eight  wounded. 
That  of  the  United  States  was  only  four  killed  and  seven 


510  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1812. 

wounded ;  among  the  former  of  whom  was  Lieutenant  John 
Musser  Funk.  The  damage  sustained  by  the  United  States 
was  not  so  great  as  to  render  it  necessary  for  her  to  return 
to  port ;  but  it  was  deemed  proper  to  accompany  her  prize 
into  the  United  States,  where  both  vessels  arrived  on  the  4th 
of  December. 

An  act  of  generosity  and  benevolence  on  the  part  of  the 
brave  tars  of  this  victorious  frigate  deserves  to  be  honourably 
recorded.  The  carpenter,  who  was  unfortunately  killed  in 
the  conflict  with  the  Macedonian,  had  left  three  small  children 
to  the  care  of  a  worthless  mother.  When  the  circumstance 
became  known  to  the  brave  seamen,  they  instantly  made  a 
contribution  amongst  themselves,  to  the  amount  of  $800,  and 
placed  it  in  safe  hands,  to  be  appropriated  to  the  education 
and  maintenance  of  the  unhappy  orphans. 

This  engagement  took  place  on  Sunday,  and  the  following 
account  is  given  of  it  by  an  eye-witness  on  board  the  Mace 
donian,  who  was  afterwards  taken  prisoner : 

"  The  Sabbath  came,  and  it  brought  with  it  a  stiff  breeze. 
We  usually  made  a  sort  of  a  holiday  of  this  sacred  day.  After 
breakfast  it  was  common  to  muster  the  entire  crew  on  the 
spar-deck,  dressed  as  the  fancy  of  the  captain  might  dictate ; 
sometimes  in  blue  jackets  and  white  trowsers,  or  blue  jackets 
and  blue  trowsers ;  at  other  times  in  blue  jackets,  scarlet 
vests,  and  blue  or  white  trowsers ;  with  our  bright  anchor 
buttons  glancing  in  the  sun,  and  our  black  glossy  hats  orna 
mented  with  black  ribbons  on  them.  After  muster,  we  fre 
quently  had  church  service  read  by  the  captain ;  the  rest  of 
the  day  was  devoted  to  idleness.  But  we  were  destined  to 
spend  the  Sabbath,  just  introduced  to  the  reader,  in  a  very 
different  manner. 

"We  had  scarcely  finished  breakfast,  before  the  man  at  the 
mast-head  shouted,  '  Sail,  ho  !' 

"  The  captain  rushed  upon  deck,  exclaiming,  '  Mast-head, 
there !' 
" '  Sir !' 
"  *  Where  away 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  511 


"  The  precise  answer  to  this  question  I  do  not  recollect,  but 
the  captain  proceeded  to  ask,  'What  does  she  look  like?' 

"  'A  square-rigged  vessel,  sir,'  was  the  reply  of  the  look 
out. 

"After  a  few  minutes  the  captain  shouted  again,  4  Mast 
head,  there!' 

"  «  Sir !' 

"  *  What  does  she  look  like  V 

11  'A  large  ship,  sir,  standing  towards  us  !' 

"By  this  time  most  of  the  crew  were  on  deck,  eagerly 
straining  their  eyes  to  obtain  a  glimpse  of  the  approaching 
ship,  and  murmuring  their  opinions  to  each  other  on  her  pro 
bable  character.  Then  came  the  voice  of  the  captain,  shout 
ing,  '  Keep  silence,  fore  and  aft !'  Silence  being  secured,  he 
hailed  the  look-out,  who,  to  his  question  of  '  What  does  she 
look  like  T  replied,  <A  large  frigate,  bearing  down  upon  us, 
sir.' 

"A  whisper  ran  along  the  crew,  that  the  stranger  ship  was 
a  Yankee  frigate.  The  thought  was  confirmed  by  the  com 
mand  of  'All  hands  clear  the  ship  for  action,  ahoy !'  The 
drum  and  fife  beat  to  quarters ;  bulkheads  were  knocked 
away ;  the  guns  were  released  from  their  confinement ;  the 
whole  dread  paraphernalia  of  battle  was  produced ;  and 
after  the  lapse  of  a  few  minutes  of  hurry  and  confusion, 
every  man  and  boy  was  at  his  post,  ready  to  do  his  best  ser 
vice  for  his  country,  except  the  band,  who,  claiming  exemp 
tion  from  the  affray,  safely  stowed  themselves  away  in  the 
cable-tier.  We  had  only  one  sick  man  on  the  list;  and  he, 
at  the  cry  of  battle,  hurried  from  his  cot,  feeble  as  he  was, 
to  take  his  post  of  danger.  A  few  of  the  junior  midshipmen 
were  stationed  below,  on  the  berth-deck,  with  orders,  given 
in  our  hearing,  to  shoot  any  man  who  attempted  to  run  from 
his  quarters. 

"  Our  men  were  all  in  good  spirits,  though  they  did  not 
scruple  to  express  the  wish  that  the  coming  foe  was  a  French 
man  rather  than  a  Yankee.  We  had  been  told  by  the  Ame 
ricans  on  board,  that  frigates  in  the  American  service  carried 
more  and  heavier  metal  than  ours.  This,  together  with  our 


512  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


consciousness  of  superiority  over  the  French  at  sea,  led  us  to 
a  preference  for  a  French  antagonist. 

"  The  Americans  among  our  number  felt  quite  disconcerted 
at  the  necessity  which  compelled  them  to  fight  against  their 
own  countrymen.  One  of  them,  named  John  Card,  as  brave 
a  seaman  as  ever  trod  a  plank,  ventured  to  present  himself 
to  the  captain,  as  a  prisoner,  frankly  declaring  his  objections 
to  fight.  That  officer,  very  ungenerously,  ordered  him  to  his 
quarters,  threatening  to  shoot  him  if  he  made  the  request 
again.  Poor  fellow !  he  obeyed  the  unjust  command,  and  was 
killed  by  a  shot  from  his  own  countrymen.  This  fact  is  more 
disgraceful  to  the  captain  of  the  Macedonian  than  even  the 
loss  of  his  ship.  It  was  a  gross  and  a  palpable  violation  of 
the  rights  of  man. 

"As  the  approaching  ship  showed  American  colours,  all 
doubt  of  her  character  was  at  end.     '  We  must  fight  her,' 
was  the  conviction  of  every  breast.     Every  possible  arrange 
ment  that  could  insure  success,  was  accordingly  made.     The 
guns  were  shotted ;  the  matches  lighted ;  for,  although  our 
|  guns  were  all  furnished  with  first-rate  locks,  they  were  also 
provided  with  matches,  attached  by  lanyards,  in  case  the 
|  lock  should  miss  fire.     A  lieutenant  then  passed  through  the 
I  ship,  directing  the  marines  and  boarders,  who  were  furnished 
I  with  pikes,  cutlasses,  and  pistols,  how  to  proceed,  if  it  should 
j  be  necessary  to  board  the  enemy.     He  was  followed  by  the 
captain,  who  exhorted  the  men  to  fidelity  and  courage,  urging 
upon  their  consideration  the  well-known  motto  of  the  brave 
Nelson,  '  England  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty.*     In 
addition  to  all  these  preparations  on  deck,  some  men  were 
stationed  in  the  tops,  with  small-arms,  whose  duty  it  was  to 
attend  to  trimming  the  sails,  and  to  use  their  muskets,  pro 
vided  we  came  to  close  action.    There  were  also  others  below, 
called  sail-trimmers,  to  assist  in  working  the  ship,  should  it 
be  necessary  to  shift  her  position  during  the  battle. 

"  My  station  was  at  the  fifth  gun  on  the  main-deck.  It  was 
my  duty  to  supply  my  gun  with  powder,  a  boy  being  ap 
pointed  to  each  gun  in  the  ship  on  the  side  we  engaged,  for 
this  purpose.  A  woollen  screen  was  placed  before  the  en- 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  513 


trance  to  the  magazine,  with  a  hole  in  it,  through  which  the 
cartridges  were  passed  to  the  boys ;  we  received  them  there, 
and,  covering  them  with  our  jackets,  hurried  to  our  respec 
tive  guns.  These  precautions  are  observed  to  prevent  the 
powder  taking  fire  before  it  reaches  the  gun. 

"  Thus  we  all  stood,  awaiting  orders,  in  motionless  sus 
pense.  At  last  we  fired  three  guns  from  the  larboard  side  of 
the  main-deck ;  this  was  followed  by  the  command, '  Cease 
firing;  you  are  throwing  away  your  shot !' 

"  Then  came  the  order  to  l  wear  ship/  and  prepare  to  attack 
the  enemy  with  our  starboard  guns.  Soon  after  this,  I  heard 
a  firing  from  some  other  quarter,  which  I  at  first  supposed  to 
be  a  discharge  from  our  quarter-deck  guns ;  though  it  proved 
to  be  the  roar  of  the  enemy's  cannon. 

"A  strange  noise,  such  as  I  had  never  heard  before,  next 
arrested  my  attention  ;  it  sounded  like  the  tearing  of  sails,  just 
over  our  heads.  This  I  soon  ascertained  to  be  the  wind  of  the 
enemy's  shot.  The  firing,  after  a  few  minutes'  cessation,  re 
commenced.  The  roaring  of  cannon  could  now  be  heard 
from  all  parts  of  our  trembling  ship,  and,  mingling  as  it  did 
with  that  of  our  foes,  it  made  a  most  hideous  noise.  By-and- 
by  I  heard  the  shot  strike  the  sides  of  our  ship ;  the  whole 
scene  grew  indescribably  confused  and  horrible ;  it  was  like 
some  awfully  tremendous  thunder-storm,  whose  deafening 
roar  is  attended  by  incessant  streaks  of  lightning,  carrying 
death  in  every  flash,  and  strewing  the  ground  with  the  vie 
tims  of  its  wrat'h :  only,  in  our  case,  the  scene  was  rendered 
more  horrible  than  that,  by  the  presence  of  torrents  of  blood 
which  dyed  our  deck. 

"  Though  the  recital  may  be  painful,  yet,  as  it  will  reveal 
the  horrors  of  war,  and  show  at  what  a  fearful  price  a  vic 
tory  is  won  or  lost,  I  will  present  the  reader  with  things  as 
they  met  my  eye  during  the  progress  of  this  dreadful  fight. 
I  was  busily  supplying  my  gun.  with  powder,  when  I  saw 
blood  suddenly  fly  from  the  arm  of  a  man  stationed  at  our 
gun.  I  saw  nothing  strike  him;  the  effect  alone  was  visible; 
in  an  instant,  the  third-lieutenant  tied  his  handkerchief  round 

65 


514  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812- 


the  wounded  arm,  and  sent  the  groaning  wretch  below  to  the 
surgeon. 

"  The  cries  of  the  wounded  now  rang  through  all  parts  of 
the  ship.  These  were  carried  to  the  cockpit  as  fast  as  they 
fell,  while  those  more  fortunate  men,  who  were  killed  out 
right,  were  immediately  thrown  overboard.  As  I  was  sta 
tioned  but  a  short  distance  from  the  main  hatchway,  I  could 
catch  a  glance  at  all  who  were  carried  below.  A  glance  was 
all  I  could  indulge  in,  for  the  boys  belonging  to  the  guns  next 
to  mine  v.  ere  wounded  in  the  early  part  of  the  action,  and  I 
had  to  spring  with  all  my  might  to  keep  three  or  four  guns 
supplied  with  cartridges.  I  saw  two  of  these  lads  fall  nearly 
together.  One  of  them  was  struck  in  the  leg  by  a  large  shot ; 
he  had  to  suffer  amputation  above  the  wound.  The  other 
had  a  grape  or  canister-shot  sent  through  his  ankle ;  a  stout 
Yorkshireman  lifted  him  in  his  arms  and  hurried  him  to  the 
cockpit.  He  had  his  foot  cut  off,  and  was  thus  made  lame 
for  life.  Two  of  the  boys  stationed  on  the  quarter-deck  were 
killed.  They  were  both  Portuguese.  A  man,  who  saw  one 
of  them  killed,  afterwards  told  me  that  his  powder  caught 
fire  and  burnt  the  flesh  almost  off  his  face.  In  this  pitiable 
situation.  f  ^e  agonized  boy  lifted  up  both  hands,  as  if  implor 
ing  relie;  :ien  a  passing  shot  instantly  cut  him  in  two. 

"  I  was  an  eye-witness  to  a  sight  equally  revolting.  A 
man  named  Aldrich  had  one  of  his  hands  cut  off  by  a  shot, 
and  almost  at  the  same  moment  he  received  another  shot, 
which  tore  open  his  bowels  in  a  terrible  manner ;  as  he  fell, 
two  or  three  men  caught  him  in  their  arms,  and,  as  he  could 
not  live,  threw  him  overboard. 

"  One  of  the  officers  in  my  division  also  fell  in  my  sight. 
He  was  a  noble- hearted  fellow,  named  Nan  Kivell.  A  grape 
or  canister-shot  struck  him  near  the  heart ;  exclaiming,  <  Oh  ! 
my  God !'  he  fell,  and  was  carried  below,  where  he  shortly 
after  died. 

"  Mr.  Hope,  our  first-lieutenant,  was  also  slightly  wounded 
by  a  grummet,  or  small  iron  ring,  probably  torn  from  a  ham 
mock-clew  by  a  shot.  He  went  below,  shouting  to  the  men 
to  fight  on.  Having  had  his  wound  dressed,  he  came  up 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  515 

again,  shouting  to  us  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  and  bidding  us 
fight  with  all  our  might.  There  was  not  a  man  in  the  ship 
but  would  have  rejoiced  had  he  been  in  the  place  of  our  mas 
ter's  mate,  the  unfortunate  Nan  Kivell. 

"  The  battle  went  on.  Our  men  kept  cheering  with  all 
their  might.  I  cheered  with  them,  though  I  confess  I  scarcely 
knew  for  what.  Certainly  there  was  nothing  very  inspiriting 
in  the  aspect  of  things  where  I  was  stationed.  So  terrible 
had  been  the  work  of  destruction  around  us,  it  was  termed 
the  slaughter-house.  Not  only  had  we  several  boys  and  men 
killed  or  wounded,  but  several  of  the  guns  were  disabled. 
The  one  I  belonged  to  had  a  piece  of  the  muzzle  knocked 
out;  and  when  the  ship  rolled,  it  struck  a  beam  of  the  upper 
deck  with  such  force  as  to  become  jammed  and  fixed  in  that 
position.  A  twenty-four  pound  shot  had  also  passed  through 
the  screen  of  the  magazine,  immediately  over  the  orifice 
through  which  we  passed  our  powder.  The  schoolmaster 
received  a  death- wound.  The  brave  boatswain,  who  came 
from  the  sick  boy  to  the  din  of  battle,  was  fastening  a  stopper 
on  a  backstay,  which  had  been  shot  away,  when  his  head 
was  smashed  to  pieces  by  a  cannon-ball ;  another  man,  going 
to  complete  the  unfinished  task,  was  also  struck  down.  An 
other  of  our  midshipmen  also  received  a  severe  wound.  The 
unfortunate  wardroom  steward,  who  the  reader  will  recollect 
attempted  to  cut  his  throat  on  a  former  occasion,  was  killed. 
A  fellow  named  John,  who,  for  some  petty  offence,  had  been 
sent  on  board  as  a  punishment,  was  carried  past  me  wounded. 
I  distinctly  heard  the  large  blood-drops  fall  pat,  pat,  pat,  on 
the  deck :  his  wounds  were  mortal.  Even  a  poor  goat,  kept 
by  the  officers  for  her  milk,  did  not  escape  the  general  car 
nage  ;  her  hind-legs  were  shot  off,  and  poor  Nan  was  thrown 
overboard. 

"  Such  was  the  terrible  scene,  amid  which  we  kept  on  our 
shouting  and  firing.  Our  men  fought  like  tigers.  Some  of 
them  pulled  off  their  jackets,  others  their  jackets  and  vests; 
while  some,  still  more  determined,  had  taken  off  their  shirts, 
and,  with  nothing  but  a  handkerchief  tied  round  the  waist 
bands  of  their  trowsers,  fought  like  heroes.  Jack  Sadler, 


516  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


whom  the  reader  will  recollect,  was  one  of  these.  I  also  ob 
served  a  boy,  named  Cooper,  stationed  at  a  gun  some  distance 
from  the  magazine.  He  came  to  and  fro  on  the  full  run,  and 
appeared  to  be  as  *  merry  as  a  cricket.'  The  third-lieutenant 
cheered  him  along,  occasionally,  by  saying, '  Well  done,  my 
boy,  you  are  worth  your  weight  in  gold.' 

"  I  have  often  been  asked  what  were  my  feelings  during 
this  fight.  I  felt  pretty  much  as  I  suppose  every  one  does  at 
such  a  time.  That  men  are  without  thought  when  they  stand 
amid  the  dying  and  the  dead,  is  too  absurd  an  idea  to  be  en 
tertained  a  moment.  We  all  appeared  cheerful,  but  I  know 
that  many  a  serious  thought  ran  through  my  mind.  Still, 
what  could  we  do  but  keep  up  a  semblance,  at  least,  of  ani 
mation  ?  To  run  from  our  quarters  would  have  been  certain 
death  from  the  hands  of  our  own  officers ;  to  give  way  to 
gloorn,  or  to  show  fear,  would  do  no  good,  and  might  brand 
us  with  the  name  of  cowards,  and  insure  certain  defeat ;  our 
only  true  philosophy,  therefore,  was  to  make  the  best  of  our 
situation,  by  fighting  bravely  and  cheerfully.  I  thought  a 
great  deal,  however,  of  the  other  world ;  every  groan,  every 
falling  man,  told  me  that  the  next  instant  I  might  be  before 
the  Judge  of  all  the  earth.  For  this,  I  felt  unprepared ;  but 
being  without  any  particular  knowledge  of  religious  truth,  I 
satisfied  myself  by  repeating  again  and  again  the  Lord's 
prayer,  and  promising  that  if  spared  I  would  be  more  atten 
tive  to  religious  duties  than  ever  before.  This  promise  I  had 
no  doubt,  at  the  time,  of  keeping;  but  I  have  learned  since, 
that  it  is  easier  to  make  promises  amidst  the  roar  of  the  bat 
tle's  thunder,  or  in  the  horrors  of  shipwreck,  than  to  keep 
them  when  danger  is  absent,  and  safety  smiles  upon  our  path. 

"While  these  thoughts  secretly  agitated  my  bosom,  the  din 
of  battle  continued.  Grape  and  canister-shot  were  pouring 
through  our  port-holes  like  leaden  rain,  carrying  dearth  in 
their  trail.  The  large  shot  came  against  the  ship's  side  like 
iron  hail,  shaking  her  to  the  very  keel,  or  passing  through 
her  timbers,  and  scattering  terrific  splinters,  which  did  a 
more  appalling  work  than  even  their  own  death-giving  blows. 
The  reader  may  form  an  idea  of  the  effect  of  grape  and 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  517 


canister,  when  he  is  told  that  grape-shot  is  formed  by  seven 
or  eight  balls,  confined  to  an  iron,  and  tied  in  a  cloth.  These 
balls  are  scattered  by  the  explosion  of  the  powder.  Canister- 
shot  is  made  by  filling  a  powder-canister  with  balls,  each  as 
large  as  two  or  three  musket-balls ;  these  also  scatter  with 
direful  effect  when  discharged.  What,  then,  with  splinters, 
cannon-balls,  grape,  and  canister  poured  incessantly  upon  us, 
the  reader  may  be  assured  that  the  work  of  death  went  on 
in  a  manner  which  must  have  been  satisfactory  even  to  the 
King  of  terrors  himself. 

"  Suddenly,  the  rattling  of  the  iron  hail  ceased.  We  were 
ordered  to  cease  firing.  A  profound  silence  ensued,  broken 
only  by  the  stifled  groans  of  the  brave  sufferers  below.  It 
was  soon  ascertained  that  the  enemy  had  shot  ahead  to  repair 
damages,  for  she  was  not  so  disabled  but  she  could  sail  with 
out  difficulty ;  while  we  were  so  cut  up  that  we  lay  utterly 
helpless.  Our  head-braces  were  shot  away ;  the  fore  and 
main-topmasts  were  gone ;  the  mizen-mast  hung  over  the 
stern,  having  carried  several  men  over  in  its  fall :  we  were  in 
the  state  of  a  complete  wreck. 

"A  council  was  now  held  among  the  officers  on  the 
quarter-deck.  Our  condition  was  perilous  in  the  extreme ; 
victory  or  escape  was  alike  hopeless.  Our  ship  was  disabled, 
many  of  our  men  were  killed,  and  many  more  wounded. 
The  enemy  would,  without  doubt,  bear  down  upon  us  in  a 
few  moments ;  and,  as  she  could  now  choose  her  own  position, 
would,  without  doubt,  rake  us  fore  and  aft.  Any  further 
resistance  was,  therefore,  folly.  So,  in  spite  of  the  hot- 
brained  lieutenant,  Mr.  Hope,  who  advised  them  not  to  strike, 
but  to  sink  alongside,  it  was  determined  to  strike  our  bunting. 
This  was  done  by  the  hands  of  a  brave  fellow,  named  Watson, 
whose  saddened  brow  told  how  severely  it  pained  his  lion 
heart  to  do  it.  To  me  it  was  a  pleasing  sight,  for  I  had  seen 
fighting  enough  for  one  Sabbath ;  more  than  I  wished  to  see 
again  on  a  week-day.  His  Britannic  Majesty's  frigate  Mace 
donian  was  now  the  prize  of  the  American  frigate  United 
States. 

"  Before  detailing  the  subsequent  occurrences  in  my  history, 


518  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


I  will  present  the  curious  reader  with  a  copy  of  Captain 
Garden's  letter  to  the  government,  describing  this  action.  It 
will  serve  to  show  how  he  excused  himself  for  his  defeat,  as 
well  as  throw  some  light  on  those  parts  of  the  contest  which 
were  invisible  to  me  at  my  station.  My  mother  presented 
me  with  this  document,  on  my  return  to  England.  She  had 
received  it  from  Lord  Churchill,  and  had  carefully  preserved 
it  for  twenty  years. 

'•"Admiralty  Office,  Dec.  29,  1812. 

"  '  Copy  of  a  letter  from  Captain  John  Surman  Garden,  late 
commander  of  his  Majesty's  ship  the  Macedonian,  to  John 
Wilson  Croker,  Esq. ;  dated  on  board  the  American  ship 
United  States,  at  sea,  the  28th  October,  1812 : — 

"  *  SIR, — It  is  with  the  deepest  regret,  I  have  to  acquaint 
you,  for  the  information  of  my  Lords  Commissioners  of  the 
Admiralty,  that  his  Majesty's  late  ship,  Macedonian,  was 
captured  on  the  2Sth  instant,  by  the  United  States  ship 
United  States,  Commodore  Decatur  commander.  The  details 
are  as  follows : 

"  'A  short  time  after  daylight,  steering  N.  W.  by  W.,  with 
the  wind  from  the  southward,  in  latitude  29°  N.,  and  longitude 
29°  30'  W.,  in  the  execution  of  their  lordships'  orders,  a  sail 
was  seen  on  the  lee-beam,  which  I  immediately  stood  for,  and 
made  her  out  to  be  a  large  frigate,  under  American  colours. 
At  nine  o'clock,  I  closed  with  her,  and  she  commenced  the 
action,  which  we  returned ;  but  from  the  enemy  keeping  two 
points  off  the  wind,  I  was  not  enabled  to  get  as  close  to  her 
as  I  could  have  wished.  After  an  hour's  action,  the  enemy 
backed  and  came  to  the  wind,  and  I  was  then  enabled  to 
bring  her  to  close  battle.  In  this  situation  I  soon  found  the 
enemy's  force  too  superior  to  expect  success,  unless  some 
very  fortunate  chance  occurred  in  our  favour ;  and  with  this 
hope  I  continued  the  battle  to  two  hours  and  ten  minutes ; 
when,  having  the  mizenmast  shot  away  by  the  board,  top 
masts  shot  away  by  the  caps,  main-yard  shot  in  pieces, 
lower  masts  badly  wounded,  lower  rigging  all  cut  to  pieces, 
a  small  proportion  only  of  the  foresail  left  to  the  fore-yard, 


1812.1  THE    LATE    WAR.  519 


all  the  guns  on  the  quarter-deck  and  forecastle  disabled 
but  two,  and  filled  with  wreck ;  two  also  on  the  main-deck 
disabled,  and  several  shot  between  wind  and  water ;  a  very 
great  proportion  of  the  crew  killed  and  wounded,  and  the 
enemy  comparatively  in  good  order,  and  whp  had  now 
shot  ahead,  and  was  about  to  place  himself  in  a  raking 
position,  without  our  being  enabled  to  return  the  fire,  being 
a  perfect  wreck  and  an  unmanageable  log ;  I  deemed  it  pru 
dent,  though  a  painful  extremity,  to  surrender  His  Majesty's 
ship;  nor  was  this  dreadful  alternative  resorted  to  till  every 
hope  of  success  was  removed,  even  beyond  the  reach  of 
chance;  nor  till,  I  trust  their  lordships  will  be  aware,  every 
effort  had  been  made  against  the  enemy  by  myself,  and  my 
brave  officers  and  men  ;  nor  should  she  have  been  surrendered 
whilst  a  man  lived  on  board,  had  she  been  manageable.  I 
am  sorry  to  say  our  loss  is  very  severe ;  I  find  by  this  day's 
muster,  thirty-six  killed,  three  of  whom  lingered  a  short  time 
after  the  battle  ;  thirty-six  severely  wounded,  many  of  whom 
cannot  recover,  and  thirty-two  slightly  wounded,  who  may 
all  do  well ;  total,  one  hundred  and  four. 

-"The  truly  noble  and  animating  conduct  of  my  officers, 
and  the  steady  bravery  of  my  crew,  to  the  last  moment  of 
the  battle,  must  ever  render  them  dear  to  their  country. 

"•My  first-lieutenant,  David  Hope,  was  severely  wounded 
in  the  head,  towards  the  close  of  the  battle,  and  taken  below, 
but  was  soon  again  on  deck,  displaying  that  greatness  of  mind 
and  exertion  which,  though  it.  may  be  equalled,  can  never  be 
excelled.  The  third-lieutenant.  John  Bulford,  was  also 
wounded,  but  not  obliged  to  quit  his  quarters  ;  second-lieu 
tenant  Samuel  Mottley,  and  he  deserves  my  highest,  acknow 
ledgments.  The  cool  and  steady  conduct  of  Mr.  Walker, 
the  master,  was  very  great  during  the  battle,  as  also  that 
of  lieutenants  Wilson  and  Magill  of  the  marines. 

•'< «  On  being  taken  on  board  the  enemy's  ship.  I  ceased  to 
wonder  at   the   result  of  the  battle.     The  United  States  is 
built  with  the  scantling  of  a  seventy-four  gun-ship,  mounting 
thirty  long  twenty-four  pounders  (English  ship-guns)  on  her   \ 
main-deck,  and  twenty-two  forty-two  pounders,  carronades,  j| 


520  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


with  two  long  twenty-four  pounders,  on  her  quarter-deck  and 
forecastle,  howitzer  guns  in  her  tops,  and  a  travelling  carron- 
ade  on  her  upper  deck,  with  a  complement  of  four  hundred 
and  seventy-eight  picked  men. 

"  *  The  enemy  has  suffered  much  in  masts,  rigging,  and 
hull,  above  and  below  water.  Her  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
I  am  not  aware  of;  but  I  know  a  lieutenant  and  six  men  have 
been  thrown  overboard.  JNO.  S.  GARDEN. 

'"To  J.  W.  CROKER,  ESQ.,  Admiralty.' 

"  Lord  Churchill  sent  the  above  letter,  with  a  list  of  the 
killed  and  wounded  annexed,  to  inform  my  mother  that  the 
name  of  her  son  was  not  among  the  number.  The  act  shows 
how  much  he  could  sympathize  with  a  mother's  feelings. 

"  I  now  went  below,  to  see  how  matters  appeared  there. 
The  first  object  I  met  was  a  man  bearing  a  limb,  which  had 
just  been  detached  from  some  suffering  wretch.  Pursuing  my 
way  to  the  ward-room,  I  necessarily  passed  through  the  steer 
age,  which  was  strewed  with  the  wounded :  it  was  a  sad 
spectacle,  made  more  appalling  by  the  groans  and  cries  which 
rent  the  air.  Some  were  groaning,  others  were  swearing 
most  bitterly,  a  few  were  praying,  while  those  last  arrived 
were  begging  most  piteously  to  have  their  wounds  dressed 
next.  The  surgeon  and  his  mate  were  smeared  with  blood 
from  head  to  foot :  they  looked  more  like  butchers  than  doc 
tors.  Having  so  many  patients,  they  had  once  shifted  their 
quarters  from  the  cockpit  to  the  steerage ;  they  now  removed 
to  the  ward-room,  and  the  long  table,  round  which  the  officers 
had  sat  over  many  a  merry  feast,  was  soon  covered  with  the 
bleeding  forms  of  maimed  and  mutilated  seamen. 

"  While  looking  around  the  ward-room,  I  heard  a  noise 
above,  occasioned  by  the  arrival  of  the  boats  from  the  con 
quering  frigate.  Very  soon  a  lieutenant,  I  think  his  name 
was  Nicholson,  came  into  the  ward-room,  and  said  to  the  busy 
surgeon,  *  How  do  you  do,  Doctor  ?' 

" « I  have  enough  to  do ;'  replied  he,  shaking  his  head 
thoughtfully ;  '  you  have  made  wretched  work  for  us  !'  These 
officers  were  not  strangers  to  each  other,  for  the  reader  will 


1812.1  THE    LATE    WAR.  521 


recollect  that  the  commanders  and  officers  of  these  two  fri 
gates  had  exchanged  visits  when  we  were  lying  at  Norfolk, 
some  months  before. 

"  I  now  set  to  work  to  render  all  the  aid  in  my  power  to 
the  sufferers.  Our  carpenter,  named  Reed,  had  his  leg  cut 
off.  I  helped  to  carry  him  to  the  ward-room;  but  he  soon 
breathed  out  his  life  there ;  then  I  assisted  in  throwing  his 
mangled  remains  overboard.  We  got  out  the  cots  as  fast  as 
possible,  for  most  of  them  were  stretched  out  on  the  gory 
deck.  One  poor  fellow,  who  lay  with  a  broken  thigh,  begged 
me  to  give  him  water.  I  gave  him  some.  He  looked  unut 
terable  gratitude,  drank  and  died.  It  was  with  exceeding 
difficulty  I  moved  through  the  steerage,  it  was  so  covered 
with  mangled  men,  and  so  slippery  with  streams  of  blood. 
There  was  a  poor  boy  there  crying  as  if  his  heart  would 
break;  he  had  been  servant  to  the  bold  boatswain,  whose 
head  was  dashed  to  pieces.  Poor  boy !  he  felt  that  he  had 
lost  a  friend.  I  tried  to  comfort  him  by  reminding  him  that 
he  ought  to  be  thankful  for  having  escaped  death  himself. 

"  Here,  also,  I  met  one  of  the  messmates,  who  showed  the 
utmost  joy  at  seeing  me  alive,  for,  he  said,  he  had  heard  that 
I  was  killed.  He  was  looking  up  his  messmates,  which  he 
said  was  always  done  by  sailors.  We  found  two  of  our  mess 
wounded ;  one  w7as  the  Swede,  Lagholm,  who  fell  overboard, 
as  mentioned  in  a  former  chapter,  and  was  nearly  lost.  We 
held  him  while  the  surgeon  cut  off  his  leg  above  the  knee. 
The  task  was  most  painful  to  behold,  the  surgeon  using  his 
knife  and  saw  on  human  flesh  and  bones,  as  freely  as  the 
butcher  at  the  shambles  does  on  the  carcass  of  the  beast ! 
Our  other  messmate  suffered  still  more  than  the  Swede ;  he 
was  sadly  mutilated  about  the  legs  and  thighs  with  splinters. 
Such  scenes  of  suffering  as  I  saw  in  that  ward-room,  I  hope 
never  to  witness  again.  Could  the  civilized  world  behold 
them  as  they  were,  and  as  they  often  are,  infinitely  worse 
than  on  that  occasion,  it  seems  to  me  they  would  forever  put 
down  the  barbarous  practices  of  war  by  universal  consent. 

"  Most  of  our  officers  and  men  were  taken  on  board  the 
victor  ship.  I  was  left,  with  a  few  others,  to  take  care  of  the 


52*2  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 


wounded.  My  master,  the  sailing-master,  was  also  among 
the  officers  who  continued  in  their  ship.  Most  of  the  men 
who  remained  were  unfit  for  any  service,  having  broken  into 
the  spirit-room  and  made  themselves  drunk ;  some  oi  them 
broke  into  the  purser's  room  and  helped  themselves  to  clothing; 
while  others,  by  previous  agreement,  took  possession  of  their 
dead  messmates'  property.  For  my  own  part,  I  was  content 
to  help  myself  to  a  little  of  the  officers'  provisions,  which  did 
me  more  good  than  could  be  obtained  from  rum.  What  was 
worse  than  all,  ho\vever,  was  the  folly  of  the  sailors  in  giv 
ing  spirit  to  their  wounded  messmates,  since  it  only  served  to 
aggravate  their  distress. 

"Among  the  wounded  was  a  brave  fellow  named  Wells. 
After  the  surgeon  had  amputated  and  dressed  his  arm,  he 
walked  about  in  fine  spirits,  as  if  he  had  received  only  a 
slight  injury.  Indeed,  while  under  the  operation,  he  mani 
fested  a  similar  heroism — observing  to  the  surgeon,  '  I  have 
lost  my  arm  in  the  service  of  my  country ;  but  I  don't  mind 
it,  Doctor,  it's  the  fortune  of  war.'  Cheerful  and  gay  as  he 
was,  he  soon  died.  His  companions  gave  him  rum ;  he  was 
attacked  by  fever  and  died:  thus  his  messmates  actually 
killed  him  with  kindness. 

"  We  had  all  sorts  of  dispositions  and  temperaments  among 
our  crew.  To  me  it  was  a  matter  of  great  interest  to  watch 
their  various  manifestations.  Some  who  had  lost  their  mess 
mates  appeared  to  care  nothing  about  it,  while  others  were 
grieving  with  all  the  tenderness  of  women ;  of  these,  was 
the  survivor  of  two  seamen,  who  had  formerly  been  soldiers 
in  the  same  regiment ;  he  bemoaned  the  loss  of  his  comrade 
with  expressions  of  the  profoundest  grief.  There  were,  also, 
two  boatswain's  mates,  named  Adams  and  Brown,  who  had 
been  messmates  for  several  years  in  the  same  ship.  Brown 
was  killed,  or  so  wounded  that  he  died  soon  after  the  battle. 
It  was  really  a  touching  spectacle  to  see  the  rough,  hardy 
features  of  the  brave  old  sailor  streaming  with  tears,  as  he 
picked  out  the  dead  body  of  his  friend  from  among  the 
wounded,  and  gently  carried  it  to  the  ship's  side,  saying  to 
the  inanimate  form  he  bore,  '  O,  Bill,  we  have  sailed  together 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  523 


in  a  number  of  ships,  we  have  been  in  many  gales  and  some 
battles,  but  this  is  the  worst  day  I  have  seen !  We  must  now 
part !'  Here  he  dropped  the  body  into  the  deep,  and  then,  a 
fresh  torrent  of  tears  streaming  over  his  weather-beaten  face, 
he  added,  <  I  can  do  no  more  for  you.  Farewell !  God  be 
with  you !'  Here  was  an  instance  of  genuine  friendship, 
worth  more  than  the  heartless  professions  of  thousands,  who, 
in  the  fancied  superiority  of  their  elevated  position  in  the 
social  circle,  will  deign  nothing  but  a  silly  sneer  at  this  record 
of  a  sailor's  grief. 

"  The  circumstance  was  rather  a  singular  one,  that  in  both 
the  contending  frigates  the  second  boatswain's  mate  bore  the 
name  of  William  Brown,  and  that  they  both  were  killed  ;  yet 
such  was  the  fact. 

"  The  great  number  of  the  wounded  kept  our  surgeon  and 
his  mate  bus.ily  employed  at  their  horrid  work  until  late  at 
night ;  and  it  was  a  long  time  before  they  had  much  leisure. 
I  remember  passing  around  the  ship  the  day  after  the  battle ; 
coming  to  a  hammock,  I  found  some  one  in  it,  apparently 
asleep.  I  spoke;  he  made  no  answer.  I  looked  into  the 
hammock;  he  was  dead.  My  messmates  coming  up,  we 
threw  the  corpse  overboard  ;  that  was  no  time  for  useless  ce 
remony.  The  man  had  probably  crawled  to  his  hammock 
the  day  before,  and,  not  being  perceived  in  the  general  dis 
tress,  bled  to  death  !  O,  War  !  who  can  reveal  thy  miseries  ! 

"  When  the  crew  of  the  United  States  first  boarded  our 
frigate,  to  take  possession  of  her  as  their  prize,  our  men, 
heated  with  the  fury  of  the  battle,  exasperated  with  the  sight 
of  their  dead  and  wounded  shipmates,  and  rendered  furious 
by  the  rum  they  had  obtained  from  the  spirit-room,  felt  and 
exhibited  some  disposition  to  fight  their  captors.  But  after 
the  confusion  had  subsided,  and  part  of  our  men  were  snugly 
stowed  away  in  the  American  ship,  and  the  remainder  found 
themselves  kindly  used  in  their  own,  the  utmost  good  feeling 
began  to  prevail.  We  took  hold  and  cleansed  the  ship,  using 
hot  vinegar  to  take  out  the  scent  of  the  blood  that  had  dyed 
the  white  of  our  planks  with  crimson.  We  also  took  hold 
and  aided  in  fitting  our  disabled  frigate  for  her  voyage.  This 


524  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 

being  accomplished,  both  ships  sailed  in  company  toward  the 
I  American  coast. 

"  I  soon  felt  myself  perfectly  at  home  with  the  American 
seamen ;  so  much  so,  that  I  chose  to  mess  with  them.  My 
shipmates  also  participated  in  similar  feelings,  in  both  ships. 
All  idea  that  we  had  been  trying  to  shoot  out  each  other's 
brains  so  shortly  before,  seemed  forgotten.  We  ate  together, 
drank  together,  joked,  sung,  laughed,  told  yarns ;  in  short,  a 
perfect  union  of  ideas,  feelings,  and  purposes,  seemed  to  exist 
among  all  hands. 

"A  corresponding  state  of  unanimity  existed,  I  was  told, 
among  the  officers.  Commodore  Decatur  showed  himself  to 
be  a  gentleman  as  well  as  a  hero  in  his  treatment  of  the  offi 
cers  of  the  Macedonian.  When  Captain  Garden  offered  his 
sword  to  the  commodore,  remarking  as  he  did  so,  *  I  am  an 
undone  man;  I  am  the  first  British  naval  officer  that  has 
struck  his  flag  to  an  American  :"  the  noble  commodore  either 
refused  to  receive  the  sword,  or  immediately  returned  it, 
smiling  as  he  said,  '  You  are  mistaken,  sir ;  your  Guerriere 
has  been  taken  by  us,  and  the  flag  of  a  frigate  was  struck 
before  yours.'  This  somewhat  revived  the  spirits  of  the  old 
captain;  but,  no  doubt,  he  still  felt  his  soul  stung  with  shame 
and  mortification  at  the  loss  of  his  ship.  Participating  as  he 
did  in  the  haughty  spirit  of  the  British  aristocracy,  it  was 
natural  for  him  to  feel  galled  and  wounded  to  the  quick,  in 
the  position  of  a  conquered  man." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Captain  Bainbridge — Constitution  captures  the  British  Ship  of  War  Java — 
British  Commander  killed — Strange  Conjectures  as  to  the  Causes  of  the  Success 
of  the  Americans. 

"  The  hearts  of  his  brethren,  with  gratitude  burning, 
Shall  beat  to  the  numbers  which  welcome  the  brave." 

ANOTHER  brilliant  victory  distinguished  the  close  of  the 
year,  and  added  additional  lustre  to  the  American  navy, 
which  had  already  astonished  the  world  generally,  and  Great 


THE    LATE    WAR.  525 


Britain  particularly,  who  began  to  inquire  into  the  causes  of 
their  defeats. 

After  the  return  of  the  frigate  Constitution  to  Boston,  Cap 
tain  Hull  resigned  the  command  for  the  purpose  of  attending 
to  his  private  concerns,  and  was  succeeded  by  Captain  Wil 
liam  Bainbridge.  Accompanied  by  the  sloop  of  war  Hornet, 
the  Constitution  sailed,  towards  the  end  of  October,  on  a 
cruise  to  the  coast  of  South  America.  On  the  29th  of  De 
cember,  after  parting  with  the  Hornet,  which  was  left  to 
blockade  a  sloop  of  war  of  equal  force,  and  while  near  the 
Brazils,  two  sails  were  discovered,  one  of  which  bore  away, 
and  the  other  stood  for  the  American  frigate.  The  enemy 
was  soon  discovered  to  be  the  British  ship  of  war  Java,  of 
forty-nine  guns,  and  preparations  were  made  on  both  sides 
for  action.  At  two  P.  M.  the  action  commenced  with  great 
vigor,  the  enemy  keeping  at  long-shot ;  but  the  fire  of  the 
Constitution  was  directed  with  so  much  precision,  that  the 
Java  was  soon  disabled  in  her  spars  and  rigging,  and  Captain 
Bainbridge  having  taken  a  position  nearer  to  his  opponent, 
her  fire  was  completely  silenced  about  four  o'clock.  Con 
cluding  that  she  had  struck,  he  passed  ahead  to  repair  the 
rigging,  but  finding  shortly  afterwards  that  the  British  flag 
was  still  flying,  he  took  a  raking  position  on  her  bows,  and 
was  about  to  commence  a  destructive  fire,  when  the  enemy 
called  out  that  he  had  surrendered.  It  was  soon  perceived 
that  the  Java  had  been  fought  with  so  much  obstinacy  that 
she  was  not  in  a  condition  to  be  preserved  as  a  trophy  of 
American  victory,  and  Commodore  Bainbridge,  having  re 
moved  her  crew  and  stores,  destroyed  her  on  the  succeeding 
day.  The  loss  of  this  vessel  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  British. 
She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Lambert,  an  officer  of  merit 
and  experience,  who  was  unfortunately  killed  during  the  ac 
tion,  and  had  on  board  one  hundred  supernumerary  seamen 
for  the  East  India  service,  besides  a  lieutenant-general,  and 
other  officers,  and  contained  also  stores  of  immense  value. 
The  loss  of  men  was  exceedingly  great;  sixty  were  killed, 
and  upwards  of  one  hundred  wounded ;  while  on  board  the 
Constitution  nine  only  were  killed,  and  twenty-five  were 


526  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1812. 

wounded.  The  damage,  however,  received  by  the  latter,  and 
her  decayed  state,  rendered  it  necessary  for  her  to  return  to 
the  United  States.  After  landing  her  prisoners  at  St.  Salva 
dor,  on  parole,  she  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  8th  of  the  suc 
ceeding  month.  In  this,  as  well  as  all  the  preceding  actions, 
the  difference  between  the  loss  of  men  on  board  the  vessels 
engaged  was  strikingly  conspicuous.  In  none  of  the  engage 
ments  between  the  English  and  their  European  antagonists, 
had  the  disproportion  been  so  manifest.  The  British  writers, 
astonished  at  the  result,  accounted  for  it  by  supposing  that 
riflemen  were  stationed  in  the  tops  of  the  American  vessels, 
whereas  in  reality  it  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  great  skill  and 
experience  in  the  art  of  firing  possessed  by  the  Americans  of 
all  classes,  and  the  pains  that  had  been  taken  to  discipline 
them  in  the  use  of  the  great  guns.  If  the  bravery  of  the 
American  seamen  was  conspicuous  in  these  encounters,  their 
generosity  and  humanity  to  their  captives  were  not  less  strik 
ingly  evinced.  The  official  letters  of  the  British  officers  bore 
strong  testimony  to  this  fact ;  but  while  they  acknowledged 
the  delicacy  and  liberality  of  their  enemy,  they  were  not 
restrained  in  any  one  instance  by  similar  feelings  from  exag 
gerating  the  force  of  the  American  and  diminishing  their  own. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Bloody  Action  at  the  river  Raisin — Barbarity  of  British  and  Indians — Americans 
not  buried— Exposed  to  beasts  of  prey. 

"  He  feasts  his  soul  on  messages  of  woe." 

JANUARY  22d,  1813,  a  bloody  action  was  fought  at  the  river 
Raisin,  between  a  detachment  from  the  North-Western  army, 
exceeding  seven  hundred  and  fifty  men,  under  General  Win 
chester,  and  a  combined  force  of  British  and  Indians,  amount 
ing  to  one  thousand  five  hundred  men,  under  General  Proctor. 
Many  of  the  Americans  were  killed  and  wounded ;  among 
the  latter  was  General  Winchester.  The  remainder,  on  sur 
rendering  themselves  prisoners  of  war,  were  nearly  all  inhu- 


1812.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  527 


manly  massacred  by  the  Indians,  contrary  to  the  express  sti 
pulations  of  General  Proctor. 

The  station  of  General  Harrison,  the  commander  of  the 
North-Western  army,  was  at  this  time  at  Franklinton.  Ge 
neral  Winchester  was  stationed  at  fort  Defiance,  half-way 
between  fort  Wayne,  on  the  Miami,  and  Lake  Erie,  with 
eight  hundred  troops,  chiefly  young  men  of  the  first  respecta 
bility,  from  Kentucky.  Learning  that  a  body  of  British  and 
Indians  was  about  to  concentrate  at  Frenchtown,  on  the  river 
Raisin,  he  sent  a  detachment  to  protect  that  place.  Before 
the  arrival  of  the  detachment,  Frenchtown  was  occupied  by 
a  party  of  the  enemy,  but  they  were  dislodged  after  a  severe 
engagement,  in  which  the  Americans  had  twelve  killed,  and 
fifty-five  wounded. 

On  the  20th,  General  Winchester  joined  the  detachment  at 
Frenchtown,  with  the  remainder  of  his  troops,  and  on  the 
22d  the  battle  of  Raisin  was  fought.  After  a  desperate  con 
flict,  in  which  many  on  both  sides  were  killed,  the  Americans 
surrendered,  with  the  express  stipulation  of  being  protected 
from  the  Indians. 

Contrary,  however,  to  these  stipulations,  the  savages  were 
permitted  to  indulge  their  full  thirst  for  blood.  The  toma 
hawk  was  mercilessly  buried  in  many  a  bosom,  and  the  scalp- 
ing-knife  wantonly  tore  the  crown  from  many  a  head. 

Even  the  last  sad  rites  of  sepulture  were  forbidden  by 
their  murderers,  and  the  remains  of  these  brave  youth  of 
Kentucky  lay  on  the  ground,  beat  by  the  storms  of  heaven, 
and  exposed  to  the  beasts  of  the  forest,  until  the  ensuing  au 
tumn,  when  their  friends  and  relations  ventured  to  gather  up 
their  bleaching  bones,  and  consigned  them  to  the  tomb. 


528  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813- 

I 
I 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Captain  Lawrence,  of  the  Hornet,  conquers  the  British  Sloop  of  War  Peacock 
— Action  lasts  only  fifteen  Minutes — Generosity  of  the  Americans. 

"  O,  strike  up  the  harp  to  the  warrior  returning 
From  the  toils  and  the  tempest  of  ocean's  rough  wave." 

AFTER  blockading  an  English  sloop  of  war  of  equal  force, 
the  United  States  ship  Hornet  was  compelled,  by  the  appear 
ance  of  a  seventy-four  gun-ship,  to  take  refuge  in  the  harbour 
of  St.  Salvador,  from  which  she  escaped  in  the  night,  and 
continued  her  cruise.  Off  Demerara,  on  the  22d  of  February, 
her  commander,  Captain  Lawrence,  observed  a  large  man-of- 
war  brig  standing  towards  him.  The  Hornet  was  immedi 
ately  cleared  for  action ;  and  at  twenty-five  minutes  past  five 
the  engagement  commenced  within  half  pistol-shot,  and  was 
terminated  in  fifteen  minutes  by  the  surrender  of  the  enemy, 
with  six  feet  water  in  her  hold.  The  prize  proved  to  be  the 
British  sloop  of  war  Peacock,  of  twenty  guns  and  two  swi 
vels,  with  one  hundred  and  thirty  men.  Her  commander, 
Captain  Peake,  was  killed  at  the  close  of  the  action.  So 
severe  had  been  the  fire  of  the  Hornet,  that  it  was  found  im 
possible  to  keep  the  prize  afloat  until  all  her  crew  were  removed, 
although  the  most  strenuous  exertions  were  made  for  that 
purpose.  Nine  of  her  crew,  and  three  from  the  Hornet,  who 
were  generously  endeavouring  to  save  them,  went  down  in 
her.  The  loss  of  the  British  in  this  action  was  very  severe ; 
of  the  Americans,  only  one  was  killed  and  two  wounded. 
The  humanity  displayed  by  the  crew  of  the  Hornet,  towards 
their  prisoners,  was  as  honourable  to  them  as  their  bravery 
in  battle.  From  the  sudden  removal  of  the  latter,  they  were 
left  destitute  of  suitable  clothing ;  and  the  fact  was  no  sooner 
made  known  to  the  American  seamen,  than  they  immediately 
divided  with  them  their  own  equipment,  while  the  public  ac 
knowledgments  of  the  captured  officers  showed  that  they  had 
received  an  equal  share  of  generosity  and  liberality. 

On  his  return  to  the  United  States,  Captain  Lawrence  was 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  529 

promoted  to  the  command  of  the  frigate  Chesapeake,  then 
lying  in  the  harbour  of  Boston, 


CHAPTER  X. 

Americans  attack  York,  Capital  of  Upper  Canada — Death  of  General  Pike- 
Americans  push  forward  and  succeed. 

"The  news  came  like  the  falling  of  a  mighty  oak  in  the  stillness  of  the 
woods." 

DURING  the  winter,  which  had  now  passed,  Great  Britain 
sent  a  number  of  troops  to  Halifax,  and  made  considerable 
preparations  for  the  defence  of  Canada.  Similar  preparations 
had  been  urged  by  the  American  government,  with  the  hope 
of  completing  the  conquest  of  that  territory  before  the  close 
of  another  campaign. 

About  the  middle  of  April,  the  coramander-in-chief,  Gene 
ral  Dearborn,  determined  to  attack  York,  the  capital  of  Up 
per  Canada,  the  great  depository  of  British  military  stores, 
whence  the  western  posts  were  supplied.  Accordingly,  on 
the  27th,  a  successful  attack  was  made,  and  York  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Americans,  with  all  its  stores. 

The  command  of  the  troops,  one  thousand  seven  hundred, 
detached  for  this  purpose,  was  given  to  General  Pike.  On 
the  25th,  the  fleet,  under  Commodore  Chauncey,  moved  down 
the  lake,  with  the  troops  from  Sackett's  Harbour,  and,  on  the 
27th,  arrived  at  the  place  of  debarkation,  about  two  miles 
westward  from  York,  and  one  and  a  half  from  the  enemy's 
works.  The  British,  consisting  of  about  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  regulars,  and  five  hundred  Indians,  under  General  SheafFe, 
attempted  to  oppose  the  landing,  but  were  thrown  into  disor 
der,  and  fled  to  their  garrison. 

General  Pike,  having  formed  his  men,  proceeded  towards 
the  enemy's  fortifications.  On  their  near  approach  to  the 
barracks,  about  sixty  rods  from  the  garrison,  an  explosion 
took  place  which  killed  about  one  hundred  of  the  Americans, 
among  whom  was  the  gallant  Pike. 


530  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


Pike  lived  to  direct  his  troops,  for  a  moment  thrown  into 
disorder,  "  to  move  on."  This  they  now  did  under  Colonel 
Pearce ;  and,  proceeding  towards  the  town,  took  possession 
of  the  barracks.  On  approaching  it,  they  were  met  by  the 
officers  of  the  Canada  militia  with  offers  of  capitulation.  At 
four  o'clock  the  troops  entered  the  town. 

The  loss  of  the  British,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners, 
amounted  to  seven  hundred  and  fifty ;  the  Americans  lost,  in 
killed  and  wounded,  about  three  hundred. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  spring,  the  war  continued 
along  the  Canada  line,  and  on  some  parts  of  the  sea-board ; 
but  nothing  important  was  achieved  by  either  power.  The 
Chesapeake  Bay  was  blockaded  by  the  British,  and  predatory 
excursions,  by  their  troops,  W7ere  made  at  Havre-de-Grace, 
Georgetown,  &c.  Several  villages  were  burnt,  and  much 
property  plundered  and  destroyed.  To  the  north  of  the  Che 
sapeake,  the  coast  was  not  exempt  from  the  effects  of  the 
war.  A  strict  blockade  was  kept  up  at  New  York.  The 
American  frigates  United  States  and  Macedonian,  and  the 
sloop  Hornet,  attempted  to  sail  on  a  cruise  from  that  port, 
about  the  beginning  of  May,  but  were  prevented.  In  another 
attempt.  ''  y  were  chased  into  New  London  harbour,  where 
they  w«  ,  ./lockaded  by  a  fleet  under  Commodore  Hardy,  for 
many  months.  Fort  George,  in  Canada,  was  taken  by  the 
Americans.  Sackett's  Harbour  was  attacked  by  one  thou 
sand  British,  who  were  repelled  with  considerable  loss. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Loss  of  the  Chesapeake— Terrible  Carnage — Death  of  Lawrence — Buried  at 
Halifax  by  the  British  with  the  Honours  of  War. 

*'  Don't  give  up  the  ship." 

ON  returning  to  this  country,  after  his  victorious  career 
already  recorded,  Captain  Lawrence  was  received  with  dis 
tinction  and  applause,  and  various  public  bodies  conferred  on 
him  peculiar  tokens  of  approbation.  While  absent,  the  rank 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  531 


of  post-captain  had  been  conferred  on  him,  and  shortly  after 
his  return,  he  received  a  letter  from  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  offering  him  the  command  of  the  frigate  Constitution, 
provided  neither  Captains  Porter  nor  Evans  applied  for  it, 
they  being  older  officers.  Captain  Lawrence  respectfully  de 
clined  this  conditional  appointment  for  satisfactory  reasons, 
which  he  stated  to  the  Secretary.  He  then  received  an  un 
conditional  appointment  to  that  frigate,  and  directions  to 
superintend  the  navy-yard  at  New  York  in  the  absence  of 
Captain  Ludlow.  The  next  day,  to  his  great  surprise  and 
chagrin,  he  received  counter-orders,  with  instructions  to  take 
command  of  the  frigate  Chesapeake,  then  lying  at  Boston, 
nearly  ready  for  sea.  This  appointment  was  particularly 
disagreeable  to  him.  He  was  prejudiced  against  the  Chesa 
peake,  both  from  her  being  considered  the  worst  ship  in  our 
navy,  and  from  having  been  in  a  manner  disgraced  in  the 
affair  with  the  Leopard.  This  last  circumstance  had  acquired 
her  the  character  of  an  unlucky  ship — the  worst  of  stigmas 
among  sailors,  who  are  devout  believers  in  good  and  bad  luck ; 
and  so  detrimental  was  it  to  this  vessel,  that  it  had  been  diffi 
cult  to  recruit  crews  for  her. 

The  extreme  repugnance  that  Captain  Lawrence  felt  to 
this  appointment,  induced  him  to  write  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  requesting  to  be  continued  in  the  command  of  the 
Hornet :  besides,  it  was  his  wish  to  remain  some  short  time 
in  port,  and  enjoy  a  little  repose  in  the  bosom  of  his  family; 
particularly  as  his  wife  was  in  that  delicate  situation  that 
most  calls  forth  the  tenderness  and  solicitude  of  an  affection 
ate  husband.  But  though  he  wrote  four  letters  to  the  secre 
tary,  he  never  received  an  answer,  and  was  obliged  reluc 
tantly  to  acquiesce. 

While  lying  in  Boston,  roads,  nearly  ready  for  sea,  the 
British  frigate  Shannon  appeared  off  the  harbour,  and  made 
signals  expressive  of  a  challenge.  The  brave  Lawrrence  im 
mediately  determined  on  accepting  it,  though  conscious  at 
the  time  of  the  great  disparity  between  the  two  ships.  The 
Shannon  was  a  prime  vessel,  equipped  in  an  extraordinary 
manner,  for  the  express  purpose  of  combating  advantageously 


53'2  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY,  [1813. 

one  of  our  largest  frigates.  She  had  an  unusually  numerous 
crew  of  picked  men,  thoroughly  disciplined  and  well  officered. 
She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Broke,  one  of  the  bravest 
and  ablest  officers  in  the  service,  who  fought  merely  for  repu 
tation. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Chesapeake  was  an  indifferent  ship, 
with  a  crew,  a  great  part  of  whom  wrere  newly  recruited, 
and  not  brought  into  a  proper  discipline.  They  were  stran 
gers  to  their  commander,  who  had  not  had  time  to  produce 
|  that  perfect  subordination,  yet  strong  personal  attachment, 
which  he  had  the  talent  of  creating  wherever  he  commanded. 
His  first -lieu  tenant  was  sick  on  shore ;  the  other  officers, 
though  meritorious,  were  young  men ;  two  of  them  mere  act- 
insr  lieutenants  ;  most  of  them  recently  appointed  to  the  ship, 
|  and  unacquainted  with  the  men. 

The  most  earnest  endeavours  were  used,  by  Commodore 
Bainbridge  and  other  gentlemen,  to  dissuade  Captain  Law 
rence  from  what  was  considered  a  rash  and  unnecessary  ex 
posure.  He  felt  and  acknowledged  the  force  of  their  reasons, 
but  persisted  in  his  determination.  He  was  peculiarly  situ 
ated  :  he  had  formerly  challenged  the  Bonne  Citoyenne,  and 
should  he  decline  a  similar  challenge;  it  might  subject  him  to 
sneers  and  misrepresentations.  Among  the  other  unfortunate 
circumstances  that  attended  this  ill-starred  battle,  was  the 
delay  of  a  wrritten  challenge  from  Captain  Broke,  which  did 
not  arrive  until  after  Captain  Lawrence  had  sailed.  It  is 
stated  to  have  been  couched  in  the  most  bland  and  courteous 
language ;  minutely  detailing  the  force  of  his  ship ;  and  offer 
ing,  if  the  Chesapeake  should  not  be  completely  prepared,  to 
cruise  off  and  on  till  such  time  as  she  made  a  specified  signal 
of  being  ready  for  the  conflict.  It  is  to  be  deeply  regretted 
that  Captain  Lawrence  did  not  receive  that  gallant  challenge, 
as  it  would  have  given  him  time  to  put  his  ship  in  proper 
order,  and  spared  him  the  necessity  of  hurrying  out  in  his 
unprepared  condition,  to  so  formal  and  momentous  an  en 
counter. 

After  getting  the  ship  under  way,  he  called  the  crew  toge 
ther,  and  having  ordered  the  white  flag  to  be  hoisted,  bearing 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  533 


the  motto,  "  Free  trade  and  sailors'  rights,"  he,  according  to 
custom,  made  them  a  short  harangue.  While  he  was  speak 
ing,  several  murmurs  were  heard,  and  strong  symptoms  of 
dissatisfaction  appeared  in  the  manners  and  countenances  of 
the  crew.  After  he  had  finished,  a  scoundrel  Portuguese,  who 
was  boatswain's-mate,  and  acted  as  spokesman  to  the  mur- 
murers,  replied  to  Captain  Lawrence  in  an  insolent  manner, 
complaining,  among  other  things,  that  they  had  not  been  paid 
their  prize-money,  which  had  been  due  for  some  time  past. 

The  critical  nature  of  the  moment,  and  his  ignorance  of  the 
dispositions  and  characters  of  his  crew,  would  not  allow  Cap 
tain  Lawrence  to  notice  such  dastardly  and  mutinous  conduct 
in  the  manner  it  deserved.  He  dared  not  thwart  the  humours 
of  men,  over  whose  affections  he  had  not  had  time  to  acquire 
any  influence ;  he  therefore  ordered  the  purser  to  take  them 
below  and  give  them  checks  for  their  prize-money,  which  was 
accordingly  done. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  June  that  the  Chesa 
peake  put  to  sea.  The  Shannon,  on  seeing  her  come  out, 
bore  away,  and  the  other  followed.  At  4  P.  M.  the  Chesa 
peake  hauled  up  and  fired  a  gun ;  the  Shannon  then  hove-to. 
The  vessels  manoeuvred  in  silence  till  within  pistol-shot,  when 
the  Shannon  opened  her  fire,  and  both  vessels,  almost  at  the 
same  moment,  poured  forth  tremendous  broadsides.  The  exe 
cution  in  both  ships  was  terrible,  but  the  fire  of  the  Shannon 
was  peculiarly  fatal,  not  only  making  great  slaughter  among 
the  men,  but  cutting  down  some  of  the  most  valuable  officers. 
The  very  first  shot  killed  Mr.  White,  sailing-master  of  the 
Chesapeake,  an  excellent  officer,  whose  loss  at  such  a  mo 
ment  was  disastrous  in  the  extreme.  The  fourth-lieutenant, 
Mr.  Ballard,  received  also  a  mortal  wound  in  this  broadside, 
and  at  the  same  moment  Captain  Lawrence  was  shot  through 
the  leg  with  a  musket-ball ;  he  however  supported  himself  on 
the  companion-way  and  continued  to  give  his  orders  with  his 
usual  coolness.  About  three  broadsides  were  exchanged, 
which,  from  the  closeness  of  the  ships,  were  dreadfully  de 
structive.  The  Chesapeake  had  three  men  shot  from  her  helm 
successively,  each  taking  it  as  the  other  fell ;  this  of  course 


534  THE    ARMY    AISD    NAVY-  [1813. 

produced  irregularity  in  the  steering,  and  the  consequence 
was.  that  her  anchor  caught  in  one  of  the  Shannon's  after- 
ports.  She  was  thus  in  a  position  where  her  guns  could  not 
be  brought  to  bear  upon  the  enemy,  while  the  latter  was  en 
abled  to  fire  raking  shots  from  her  foremost  guns,  which  swept 
the  upper  decks  of  the  Chesapeake,  killing  or  wounding  the 
greater  portion  of  the  men.  A  hand-grenade  was  thrown  on 
the  quarter-deck,  which  set  fire  to  some  musket-cartridges, 
but  did  no  other  damage. 

O 

In  this  state  of  carnage  and  exposure,  about  twenty  of  the 
Shannon's  men,  seeing  a  favourable  opportunity  for  boarding, 
without  waiting  for  orders,  jumped  on  the  deck  of  the  Chesa 
peake.  Captain  Lawrence  had  scarcely  time  to  call  his  board 
ers,  when  he  received  a  second  and  mortal  wound  from  a 
musket-ball,  which  lodged  in  his  intestines.  Lieutenant  Cox, 
who  commanded  the  second  division,  rushed  up  at  the  call  for 
the  boarders,  but  came  just  in  time  to  receive  his  falling  com 
mander.  He  was  in  the  act  of  carrying  him  below,  when 
Captain  Broke,  accompanied  by  his  first-lieutenant,  and  fol- 
'  lowed  by  his  regular  boarders,  sprung  on  board  the  Chesa 
peake.  The  brave  Lawrence  saw  the  overwhelming  danger ; 
his  last  words,  as  he  was  borne  bleeding  from  the  deck,  were, 
"  Don't  give  up  the  ship  !" 

Samuel  Livermore,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  who,  from  personal 
attachment  to  Captain  Lawrence,  had  accompanied  him  in 
this  cruise  as  chaplain,  attempted  to  revenge  his  fall.  He 
shot  at  Captain  Broke,  but  missed  him  :  the  latter  made  a  cut 
at  his  head,  which  Livermore  warded  off;  but,  in  so  doing, 
received  a  severe  wound  in  the  arm.  The  only  officer  that 
now  remained  on  the  upper  deck  was  Lieutenant  Ludlow, 
who  was  so  entirely  weakened  and  disabled  by  repeated 
wounds,  received  early  in  the  action,  as  to  be  incapable  of 
personal  resistance.  The  comparatively  small  number  of 
men,  therefore,  that  survived  on  the  upper  decks,  having  no 
officer  to  head  them,  the  British  succeeded  in  securing  com 
plete  possession  before  those  from  below  could  rally.  Lieu 
tenant  Budd,  who  had  commanded  the  first  division  below, 
being  informed  of  the  danger,  hastened  up  with  some  men, 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAH.  535 


but  was  overpowered  by  superior  numbers,  and  cut  down 
immediately.  Great  embarrassment  took  place  in  conse 
quence  of  the  officers  being  unacquainted  with  the  crew.  In 
one  instance,  in  particular.  Lieutenant  Cox.  on  mounting  the 
deck,  joined  a  party  of  the  enemy,  through  mistake,  and  was 
made  sensible  of  his  error  by  their  cutting  at  him  with  their 
sabres. 

While  this  scene  of  havoc  and  confusion  was  going  on 
above.  Captain  Lawrence,  who  was  lying  in  the  ward-room 
in  excruciating  pain,  hearing  the  firing  cease,  forgot  the  an 
guish  of  his  wounds ;  having  no  officer  near  him,  he  ordered 
the  surgeon  to  hasten  on  deck,  and  tell  the  officers  to  fight  on 
to  the  last,  and  never  to  strike  the  colours  ;  adding,  "  they 
shall  wave  while  I  live."  The  fate  of  the  battle,  however, 
was  decided.  Finding  all  farther  resistance  vain,  and  a  mere 
waste  of  life,  Lieutenant  Ludlow  gave  up  the  ship ;  after 
which,  he  received  a  sabre  wound  in  the  head,  from  one  of 
the  Shannon's  crew,  which  fractured  his  skull,  and  ultimately 
proved  mortal.  He  wras  one  of  the  most  promising  officers  of 
his  age  in  the  service,  highly  esteemed  for  his  professional 
talents,  and  beloved  for  the  generous  qualities  that  adorned 
his  private  character. 

Thus  terminated  one  of  the  most  remarkable  combats  on 
naval  record.  From  the  peculiar  accidents  that  attended  it, 
the  battle  was  short,  desperate,  and  bloody.  So  long  as  the 
cannonading  continued,  the  Chesapeake  is  said  to  have  clearly 
had  the  advantage :  and  had  the  ships  not  run  foul,  it  is  pro 
bable  she  would  have  captured  the  Shannon.  Though  con 
siderably  damaged  in  her  upper  works,  and  pierced  with  some 
shot-holes  in  her  hull,  yet  she  had  sustained  no  injury  to  affect 
her  safety ;  whereas  the  Shannon  had  received  several  shots 
between  wind  and  water,  and,  consequently,  could  not  have 
sustained  the  action  lonsr.  The  havoc  on  both  sides  was 
dreadful;  but  to  the  singular  circumstance  of  having  every 
officer  on  the  upper  deck  either  killed  or  wounded,  early  in 
the  action,  may  chiefly  be  attributed  the  loss  of  the  Chesa 
peake. 

The  two  ships  presented  dismal  spectacle-  after  the  battle. 


536  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 

Crowded  with  the  wounded  and  the  dying,  they  resembled 
floating  hospitals,  sending  forth  groans  at  every  roll.  The 
brave  Broke  lay  delirious  from  a  wound  in  the  head,  which 
he  is  said  to  have  received  while  endeavouring  to  prevent  the 
slaughter  of  some  of  our  men  who  had  surrendered.  In  his 
rational  intervals,  he  always  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of  the 
courage  and  skill  of  Lawrence,  and  the  "  gallant  and  masterly 
style"  in  which  he  brought  the  Chesapeake  into  action. 

The  wounds  of  Captain  Lawrence  rendered  it  impossible 
to  remove  him  after  the  battle,  and  his  cabin  being  very  much 
shattered,  he  remained  in  the  ward-room.  Here  he  lay,  at 
tended  by  his  own  surgeon,  and  surrounded  by  his  brave  and 
suffering  officers.  He  made  no  comment,  nor  indeed  was  he 
heard  to  utter  a  word,  except  to  make  such  simple  requests 
as  his  necessities  required.  In  this  way  he  lingered  through 
four  days,  in  extreme  bodily  pain,  and  then  expired. 

His  body  was  wrapped  in  the  colours  of  his  ship,  and 
buried  by  the  British  at  Halifax,  \vith  the  honours  of  war. 
Thence  it  was  removed  by  his  friends  to  Salem,  in  Massachu 
setts,  where  it  received  the  most  particular  respect,  and  was 
again  removed  to  the  city  of  New  York,  where  it  was  buried 
with  the  honours  of  war. 

At  the  time  of  his  death,  he  was  but  thirty-two  years  old, 
nearly  sixteen  of  which  had  been  honourably  expended  in 
the  service  of  his  country.  He  was  a  disciplinarian  of  the 
highest  order,  producing  perfect  obedience  and  subordination 
without  severity.  His  men  became  zealously  devoted  to  him, 
and  ready  to  do  through  affection  what  severity  would  have 
never  compelled.  He  was  scrupulously  correct  in  his  prin 
ciples,  delicate  in  his  sense  of  honour ;  and  to  his  extreme 
jealousy  of  reputation  he  fell  a  victim,  in  daring  an  ill-matched 
encounter,  which  prudence  would  have  justified  him  in  de 
clining.  In  battle,  where  his  lofty  and  commanding  person 
made  him  conspicuous,  the  calm,  collected  courage,  and  ele 
vated  tranquillity  which  he  maintained  in  the  midst  of  peril, 
imparted  a  confidence  to  every  bosom.  In  the  hour  of  vic 
tory  he  was  moderate  and  unassuming;  towards  the  van 
quished  he  was  gentle,  generous,  and  humane. 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  537 


CHAPTER   XII. 

Capture  of  the  United  States  Sloop  Argus— Carried  to  England,  where  her 
Commander  died. 

44  When  sorrows  corne,  they  come  not  single  spies, 
But  in  battalions  !" — Hamlet. 

THE  intelligence  of  the  capture  of  the  Chesapeake  was 
received  in  England  with  great  rejoicing.  The  victory  of 
Captain  Broke  was  considered  as  establishing  the  maritime 
superiority  of  that  nation,  which  preceding  events  had  some 
what  shaken,  and  the  honours  showered  upon  that  officer 
evinced  the  light  in  which  it  was  viewed.  The  result  of  an 
other  engagement,  which  took  place  not  long  afterwards, 
tended  to  confirm  this  impression.  The  United  States  sloop 
of  war  Argus,  of  twenty  guns,  commanded  by  Captain  Wil 
liam  Henry  Allen,  being  on  a  cruise  in  the  British  channel, 
fell  in  with  the  British  sloop  of  war  Pelican,  of  somewhat 
superior  force,  which  had  been  fitted  out  expressly  for  the 
purpose  of  engaging  her.  The  action,  which  took  place  on 
the  14th  of  August,  was  maintained  for  an  hour  and  a  half 
with  great  ardour  on  both  sides,  when  the  captain  and  first- 
lieutenant  of  the  Argus  being  severely  wounded,  and  many 
of  her  seamen  disabled,  her  rigging  shot  away,  and  the  enemy 
about  to  board,  her  flag  was  struck  by  the  remaining  officers. 
She  was  carried  into  England,  where  her  commander  shortly 
afterwards  died.  He  had  been  first-lieutenant  of  the  United 
States  at  the  capture  of  the  Macedonian,  and  bore  a  high 
character  in  the  naval  service. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

Capture  of  the  Boxer  by  the  Enterprise— Death  of  their  respective  Commanders 
— Capture  of  the  Dominica  by  the  Privateer  Decatur — Cruise  of  the  President. 

44  The  wounds  he  received,  for  his  country  contending, 
The  hardships  endured — shall  they  e'er  be  forgot?" 

THE  tide  of  success  appeared  now  to  set  in  favour  of  the 
British ;  but  shortly  after  the  capture  of  the  Argus,  an  en- 

68~ 


538  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


agement  took  place  which  added  fresh  honour  to  the  Ameri 
can  flag.  The  United  Stales  brig  Enterprise,  of  sixteen  guns, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Burrows,  sailed  from  Portsmouth 
on  the  1st  of  September.  On  the  4th,  a  vessel  of  war  was 
discovered,  which  stood  for  her,  having  four  ensigns  hoisted. 
After  a  warm  action  of  forty  minutes,  the  enemy  ceased  firing, 
and  surrendered.  She  proved  to  be  the  British  armed  brig 
Boxer,  of  sixteen  guns,  commanded  by  Captain  Blythe,  who 
was  killed  early  in  the  action.  She  was  admirably  prepared 
for  the  contest,  and  her  colours  were  nailed  to  the  mast  pre 
vious  to  the  engagement.  The  gallant  commander  of  the 
Enterprise  received  a  mortal  wound  about  the  same  time  that 
his  antagonist  fell,  but  refused  to  quit  the  deck  until  the 
sword  of  the  British  commander  was  brought  to  him,  when, 
clasping  it  in  his  hands,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  die  contented,"  and 
soon  afterwards  expired.  The  bodies  of  the  two  commanders 
were  interred  at  Portland  at  the  same  time,  with  every  mark 
of  respect  that  can  be  shown  to  the  remains  of  brave  and 
honourable  men. 

The  private  armed  vessels  of  the  United  States  continued, 
during  this  year,  to  harass  the  commerce  of  the  enemy,  and 
carried  into  every  quarter  of  the  globe  proofs  of  American 
skill  arid  enterprise.  Perhaps  no  instance  in  the  annals  of 
national  wrarfare  can  be  pointed  out  of  a  more  desperate  ac 
tion  than  that  fought  by  the  privateer  Decatur,  of  seven  guns 
and  one  hundred  and  three  men,  writh  the  British  government 
schooner  Dominica,  of  fifteen  guns  and  eighty-eight  men. 
After  a  wTell-sustained  action  of  twro  hours,  the  latter  was 
carried  by  boarding.  The  combat,  was  maintained  on  her 
deck  for  a  considerable  time,  wrhen  her  captain  and  most  of 
her  officers  and  crew  being  disabled,  her  colours  were  struck 
by  the  crew  of  the  Decatur.  It  is  proper  to  add,  that  the 
crew  of  the  Dominica  fought  with  uncommon  bravery  and 
firmness.  Sixty  men,  and  every  officer,  with  the  exception 
of  the  surgeon  and  one  midshipman,  were  killed  or  wounded. 

The  enterprise  of  Commodore  Rodgers  was  displayed  in  a 
cruise  of  five  months,  in  the  frigate  President,  which  termi 
nated  on  the  26th  of  September,  without  any  material  sue-  . 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  539 


cess.  The  United  States  and  Macedonian  had  lain  in  the 
harbour  of  New  York  until  the  beginning  of  May,  without 
being  able  to  get  to  sea.  About  that  period  they  made  an 
ineffectual  attempt  to  pass  the  blockading  squadron,  in  com 
pany  with  the  sloop  of  war  Hornet.  The  vigilance  of  the 
enemy  (whose  superior  force  rendered  any  contest  hopeless) 
obliged  them  to  put  into  the  port  of  New  London,  where 
they  were  compelled  to  continue  during  the  remainder  of  the 
war. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

Preparations  on  Lake  Erie — Perry's  gallant  Conduct— His  brilliant  Victory- 
Importance  of  this  Victory  to  America — Official  Account  of  the  Battle — Cooper's 
Account  of  it. 

"  When  Greek  meets  Greek,  then  comes  the  tug  of  war." 
"  We  have  met  the  enemy,  and  they  are  ours.'1 

"Fill  high  the  cup; 
And  let  the  kettle  to  the  trumpet  speak. 
The  trumpet  to  the  cannoneer  without, 
The  cannon  to  the  heavens — the  heaven  to  earth." 

DURING  these  occurrences  on  the  sea-board,  important  pre 
parations  had  been  made  for  decisive  measures  to  the  west 
ward,  and  the  general  attention  was  now  turned,  with  great 
anxiety,  towards  the  movements  of  the  North-western  army, 
and  the  fleet  under  command  of  Commodore  Perry,  on  lake 
Erie. 

This  anxiety,  not  long  after,  was,  in  a  measure,  dispelled 
by  a  decisive  victory  of  the  American  fleet  over  that  of  the 
British,  on  lake  Erie,  achieved,  after  a  long  and  desperate 
conflict,  on  the  10th  of  September. 

The  necessity  of  possessing  a  strong  force  on  lake  Erie, 
had  been  strenuously  urged  to  the  government  by  General 
Hull,  even  before  the  declaration  of  war;  and  it  was  evident 
to  the  meanest  apprehensions,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
retain  the  position  at  Detroit,  and  much  more  to  attempt  the 


540  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1813- 


invasion  of  Canada,  with  any  prospect  of  success,  while  the 
enemy  had  command  of  its  waters.  There  appears,  never 
theless,  to  have  been  a  very  censurable  neglect  on  the  part 
of  the  administration,  in  not  taking  measures  sufficiently 
early  to  effect  this  purpose.  The  earnest  representations  of 
General  Harrison,  however,  at  length  awakened  them  to  a 
proper  sense  of  its  necessity.  In  the  month  of  March,  the 
building  of  two  brigs  and  several  schooners  was  commenced 
at  the  port  of  Erie,  under  the  direction  of  Captain  Perry  of 
the  navy,  and  continued  with  great  activity  until  the  20th  of 
July,  when  the  enemy's  squadron  appeared  off  the  town,  with 
an  apparent  intention  of  attacking  it ;  but  finding  prepara 
tions  made  for  defence,  soon  afterwards  retired.  The  equip 
ment  of  the  vessels  being  completed,  they  were  launched  on 
the  2d  of  August,  and  buoyed  over  the  bar  in  presence  of, 
and  without  molestation  from  the  enemy,  who  then  returned 
to  Maiden,  to  await  the  completion  of  a  large  ship,  then  build 
ing.  Having  received  his  complements  of  sailors,  and  being 
joined  by  a  company  of  infantry  and  some  volunteers,  who 
acted  as  marines,  Commodore  Perry  sailed  in  quest  of  the 
British  squadron,  which  he  found  lying  in  the  harbour  of 
Maiden,  augmented  by  the  launching  of  their  new  vessel. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  September,  the  enemy's 
vessels  were  discovered  standing  out  of  the  port  of  Maiden, 
with  the  wind  in  their  favour.  They  consisted  of — 

Guns.        Howitzers. 

Ship  Detroit 19  2  Com.  Barclay. 

Queen  Charlotte 17  ....  1 Capt.  Finnis. 

Schr.  Lady  Prevost 13  1   Lieut.  Buchan. 

Brig  Hunter 10 0 

Sloop  Little  Belt 3  0   

Chippewa 1  ....  2  swivels . .  

In  all  63  guns,  4  howitzers,  and  2  swivels.  The  American 
squadron  was  composed  of — 

guns. 

Brig  Lawrence 20 Com.  Perry. 

"     Niagara 20  Capt.  Elliott. 

"     Caledonia 3   Lieut.  Turner. 

Schr.  Ariel 4   

"     Scorpion 2  > 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  541 

guns. 

Schr.  Sorners 2   ....    1J  swivels.  

Sloop  Trippe I    

**•     Tigress 1    - 

•'      Porcupine 1    

In  all  54  guns  2  swivels. 

At  ten  o'clock,  the  wind  changed,  so  as  to  give  the  latter 
the  weather-gage.  Commodore  Perry  then  formed  his  line 
of  battle,  and  bore  down  upon  the  enemy.  At  a  few  minutes 
before  twelve,  the  action  commenced  by  a  heavy  and  well- 
directed  fire  upon  the  Lawrence,  from  the  Detroit  and  Queen 
Charlotte,  which  she  was  unable  to  return,  in  consequence  of 
possessing  only  carronades.  The  lightness  of  the  wind  pre 
venting  the  remainder  of  the  American  squadron  from  getting 
up,  she  was  compelled  to  sustain  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  ves 
sels  for  upwards  of  two  hours,  when,  having  lost  a  great 
number  of  men,  and  most  of  her  guns  and  rigging  being  dis 
abled,  it  was  evident  she  must  soon  surrender.  The  fate  of 
the  day  appeared  already  decided,  when  Commodore  Perry, 
with  singular  gallantry  and  enterprise,  resolved  upon  a  mea 
sure  which  retrieved  his  doubtful  fortunes.  Leaving  his  ship, 
(the  Lawrence,)  he  passed  in  an  open  boat  to  the  Niagara, 
which  a  lucky  increase  of  wind  had  enabled  Captain  Elliott 
to  bring  up.  The  latter  officer  now  volunteered  to  carry  the 
smaller  vessels  into  action,  while  Commodore  Perry,  with  the 
Niagara,  bore  up  and  passed  through  the  enemy's  line,  pour 
ing  into  the  ships  on  each  side  a  most  destructive  fire.  The 
American  schooners  and  gun-boats,  having  soon  afterwards 
got  within  a  suitable  distance,  opened  a  heavy  and  well- 
directed  cannonade  upon  their  opponents,  and,  after  a  short 
contest,  the  whole  British  squadron  surrendered. 

The  enemy,  not  having  been  able  to  take  possession  of  the 
Lawrence,  whose  colours  had  been  struck  soon  after  Commo 
dore  Perry  left  her,  she  again  hoisted  them  before  the  conclu 
sion  of  the  conflict. 

Never  was  a  victory  more  complete,  and  more  glorious  to 
the  victors,  than  this.  The  American  vessels  were  inferior 
in  force  to  their  opponents ;  the  number  of  men  on  board  the 
latter  was  greater ;  the  American  officers  had  never  witnessed 


542  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


the  manoeuvring  of  a  squadron,  while  the  British  commander 
had  acquired  experience  under  the  eye  of  Lord  Nelson ;  and 
yet  not  one  vessel  of  the  enemy  was  left  to  bear  the  tidings 
of  defeat.  The  surrender  of  the  flag-ship  of  a  squadron  has 
in  former  engagements  generally  decided  the  fate  of  the  battle ; 
here,  although  it  made  the  force  of  the  enemy  superior  by 
thirty-three  guns,  it  only  served  to  animate  the  Americans  to 
new  and  more  desperate  exertions.  The  result  of  the  en 
gagement  was  attributed  by  the  British  commander  to  a  defi 
ciency  of  competent  seamen,  to  the  unprecedented  loss  of 
officers  on  board  the  Queen  Charlotte  and  Detroit,  and  to  the 
superior  weight  of  metal  on  board  the  American  vessels. 
The  loss  of  men,  however,  on  each  side,  was  pretty  nearly 
equal.  Of  the  British,  three  officers  and  thirty-eight  men 
were  killed,  and  nine  officers  and  eighty-five  men  wounded. 
Of  the  Americans,  three  officers  and  twenty-four  men  killed, 
a.nd  four  officers  and  ninety-two  men  wounded.  Among  the 
wounded  of  the  enemy,  was  Commodore  Barclay,  who  was 
compelled  to  quit  the  deck  of  his  vessel. 

The  following  is  the  official  account  of  the  battle.  Copy 
of  a  letter  from  Commodore  Perry  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy. 

"  U.  S.  Schooner  Ariel,  Put-in-Bay,  13th  Sept.,  1813. 

"  SIR, — In  my  last  I  informed  you  that  we  had  captured  the 
enemy's  fleet  on  this  lake.  I  have  now  the  honour  to  give 
you  the  most  important  particulars  of  the  action.  On  the 
morning  of  the  10th  inst.,  at  sunrise,  they  were  discovered 
from  Put-in-Bay,  where  I  lay  at  anchor  with  the  squadron 
under  my  command.  We  got  under  weigh,  the  wind  light  at 
S.  W.,  and  stood  for  him.  At  10  A.  M.,  the  wind  hauled  to 
S.  E.  and  brought  us  to  windward :  formed  the  line  and  bore 
up.  At  15  minutes  before  12,  the  enemy  commenced  firing; 
at  5  minutes  before  12,  the  action  commenced  on  our  part. 
Finding  their  fire  very  destructive,  owing  to  their  long  guns, 
and  its  being  mostly  directed  at  the  Lawrence,  I  made  sail 
and  directed  the  other  vessels  to  follow,  for  the  purpose  of 
closing  with  the  enemy.  Every  brace  and  bow-line  being 
soon  shot  away,  she  became  unmanageable,  notwithstanding 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  543 


the  great  exertions  of  the  sailing-master.  In  this  situation, 
she  sustained  the  action  upwards  of  two  hours  within  canis 
ter  distance,  until  every  gun  was  rendered  useless,  and  the 
greater  part  of  her  crew  either  killed  or  wounded.  Finding 
she  could  no  longer  annoy  the  enemy,  I  left  her  in  charge  of 
Lieutenant  Yarnall,  who,  I  was  convinced  from  the  bravery 
already  displayed  by  him,  would  do  what  would  comport 
with  the  honour  of  the  flag.  At  half-past  two,  the  wind 
springing  up,  Captain  Elliott  was  enabled  to  bring  his  vessel, 
the  Niagara,  gallantly  into  close  action ;  I  immediately  went 
on  board  of  her,  when  he  anticipated  my  wish  by  volunteer 
ing  to  bring  the  schooners,  which  had  been  kept  astern  by 
the  lightness  of  the  wind,  into  close  action.  It  was  with  un 
speakable  pain  that  I  saw,  soon  after  I  got  on  board  the  Nia 
gara,  the  flag  of  the  Lawrence  come  down,  although  I  was 
perfectly  sensible  that  she  had  been  defended  to  the  last,  and 
that  to  have  continued  to  make  a  show  of  resistance  would 
have  been  a  wanton  sacrifice  of  the  remains  of  her  brave 
crew.  But  the  enemy  was  not  able  to  take  possession  of  her, 
and  circumstances  soon  permitted  her  flag  again  to  be  hoisted. 
At  45  minutes  past  two,  the  signal  was  made  for  "  close 
action.*' — The  Niagara  being  very  little  injured,  I  determined 
to  pass  through  the  enemy's  line,  bore  up  and  passed  ahead 
of  their  two  ships  and  a  brig,  giving  a  raking  fire  to  them 
from  the  starboard  guns,  and  to  a  large  schooner  and  sloop 
from  the  larboard  side,  at  half  pistol-shot  distance.  The 
smaller  vessels  at  this  time  having  got  within  grape  and  can 
ister  distance,  under  the  direction  of  Captain  Elliott,  and 
keeping  up  a  well-directed  fire,  the  two  ships,  a  brig,  and  a 
schooner  surrendered,  a  schooner  and  a  sloop  making  a  vain 
attempt  to  escape. 

"  Those  officers  and  men  who  were  immediately  under  my 
observation,  evinced  the  greatest  gallantry,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  all  the  others  conducted  themselves  as  became 
American  officers  and  seamen.  Lieutenant  Yarnall,  first  ol 
the  Lawrence,  although  several  times  wounded,  refused  to 
quit  the  deck.  Midshipman  Forrest  (doing  duty  as  lieutenant) 
and  sailing-master  Taylor,  were  of  great  assistance  to  me.  ] 


544  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1813- 

have  great  pain  in  stating  to  you  the  death  of  Lieutenant 
Brock,  of  the  marines,  and  Midshipman  Lamb,  both  of  the 
Lawrence,  and  Midshipman  John  Clarke,  of  the  Scorpion : 
they  were  valuable  and  promising  officers.  Mr.  Hambleton, 
purser,  who  volunteered  his  services  on  deck,  was  severely 
wounded  late  in  the  action.  Midshipmen  Claxton  and  Swart- 
wout,  of  the  Lawrence,  were  severely  wounded.  On  board 
of  the  Niagara,  Lieutenants  Smith  and  Edwards,  and  Mid 
shipman  Webster,  (doing  duty  as  sailing-master,)  behaved  in 
a  very  handsome  manner.  Captain  Brevoort,  of  the  army, 
who  acted  as  a  volunteer  in  the  capacity  of  a  marine  officer, 
on  board  of  that  vessel,  is  an  excellent  and  brave  officer,  and 
with  his  musketry  did  great  execution.  Lieutenant  Turner, 
commanding  the  Caledonia,  brought  that  vessel  into  action  in 
the  most  able  manner,  and  is  an  officer  that  in  all  situations 
may  be  relied  on.  The  Ariel,  Lieutenant  Packet,  and  Scor 
pion,  Sailing-master  Champlin,  were  enabled  to  get  early  into 
action,  and  were  of  great  service.  Captain  Elliott  speaks  in 
the  highest  terms  of  Magrath,  purser,  who  had  been  de 
spatched  in  a  boat  on  service  previous  to  my  getting  on  board 
the  Niagara ;  and,  being  a  seaman,  since  the  action  has  ren 
dered  essential  service  in  taking  charge  of  one  of  the  prizes. 
Of  Captain  Elliott,  already  so  well  known  to  the  government, 
it  would  be  almost  superfluous  to  speak.  In  this  action  he 
evinced  his  characteristic  bravery  and  judgment,  and,  since 
the  close  of  the  action,  has  given  me  the  most  able  and  essen 
tial  assistance. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  enclose  you  a  list  of  the  killed  and 
wounded,  together  with  a  statement  of  the  relative  force  of 
the  squadrons.  The  captain  and  first-lieutenant  of  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  and  first-lieutenant  of  the  Detroit,  were  killed. — 
Captain  Barclay,  senior  officer,  and  the  commander  of  the 
Lady  Prevost,  severely  wounded.  Their  loss  in  killed  and 
wounded  I  have  not  yet  been  able  to  ascertain ;  it  must,  how 
ever,  have  been  very  great. 

"  Very  respectfully,  I  have  the  honour  to  be,  sir,  your  obe 
dient  servant,  .  O.  H.  PERRY. 

"The  Hon.  WILLIAM  JONES,  Secr'y  of  the  Navy."" 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  545 


The  following  account  of  this  battle  by  Mr.  Cooper,  which 
led  to  a  libel-suit  and  so  much  litigation,  in  which  the  author 
sustained  himself,  must  be  interesting  to  the  reader.  It  will 
instruct  while  it  gratifies  his  curiosity  after  hearing  so  much 
from  it ;  and,  as  the  author  can  have  no  objections  to  have  it 
circulated,  we  give  it  entire. 

"  The  manner  in  which  the  service  commenced  on  the  up 
per  lakes,  has  been  already  mentioned,  but  it  will  connect  the 
narrative  to  make  a  short  recapitulation.  It  will  be  remem 
bered  that,  late  in  the  autumn  of  1812,  Lieutenant  Elliott  had 
been  sent  to  the  foot  of  Erie  to  contract  for  some  schooners. 
He  was  soon  after  recalled  to  Ontario,  and  succeeded  in  com 
mand  by  Lieutenant  Angus.  Not  long  after  the  landing  at 
Erie,  Mr.  Angus  returned  to  the  sea-board,  and  Lieutenant 
Pettigrew,  for  a  short  time,  was  in  command.  In  the  course 
of  the  winter,  Captain  O.  H.  Perry,  then  a  young  master  and 
commander  at  the  head  of  the  flotilla  of  gun-boats,  at  New 
port,  Rhode  Island,  finding  no  immediate  prospect  of  getting 
to  sea  in  a  sloop  of  war,  volunteered  for  the  lake  service. 
Captain  Perry  brought  on  with  him  a  number  of  officers,  and 
a  few  men,  and  Commodore  Chauncey  gladly  availed  himself 
of  the  presence  of  an  officer  of  his  rank,  known  spirit  and 
zeal,  to  send  him  on  the  upper  lakes,  in  command,  where  he 
arrived  in  the  course  of  the  winter.  From  this  time,  until 
the  navigation  opened,  Captain  Perry  was  actively  employed, 
under  all  the  embarrassments  of  his  frontier  position,  in  or 
ganizing  and  creating  a  force,  with  which  he  might  contend 
with  the  enemy  for  the  mastery  of  those  important  wraters. 
Two  large  brigs,  to  mount  20  guns  each,  were  laid  down  at 
Presque  Isle,  and  a  few  gun-vessels  or  schooners,  were  also 
commenced.  The  spring  passed  in  procuring  guns,  shot,  and 
other  supplies,  and,  as  circumstances  allowed,  a  draft  of  men 
would  arrive  from  below,  to  aid  in  equipping  the  different 
vessels.  As  soon  as  the  squadron  of  Commodore  Chauncey 
appeared  off  the  mouth  of  Niagara,  Captain  Perry,  with 
some  of  his  officers,  went  to  join  it,  and  the  former  was  effi 
ciently  employed  in  superintending  the  disembarkation  of  the 
troops,  as  has  been  already  related*  The  fall  of  fort  George 

69  2v* 


546  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


produced  that  of  fort  Erie,  when  the  whole  of  the  Niagara 
frontier  came  under  the  control  of  the  American  army. 

"  Captain  Perry  now  repaired  to  his  own  command,  and 
with  infinite  labour  he  succeeded  in  getting  the  vessels  that 
had  so  long  been  detained  in  the  Niagara,  by  the  enemy's 
batteries,  out  of  the  river.  This  important  service  was 
effected  by  the  12th  of  June,  and  preparations  were  imme 
diately  commenced  for  appearing  on  the  lake.  These  vessels 
consisted  of  the  brig  Caledonia,  (a  prize,)  and  the  schooners 
Catherine,  Ohio,  and  Amelia,  with  the  sloop  Contractor. 
The  Catherine  was  named  the  Somers,  the  Amelia  the  Ti 
gress,  and  the  Contractor  the  Trippe.  At  this  time,  the  enemy 
had  a  cruising  force,  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Finnis> 
which  consisted  of  the  Queen  Charlotte,  a  ship  of  between 
three  and  four  hundred  tons,  and  mounting  17  guns ;  the 
Lady  Prevost,  a  fine  warlike  schooner,  of  about  two  hundred 
tons,  that  mounted  13  guns  ;  the  brig  Hunter,  a  vessel  a  little 
smaller,  of  10  guns,  and  three  or  four  lighter  cruisers.  He 
was  also  building,  at  Maiden,  a  ship  of  near  five  hundred 
tons  measurement,  that  was  to  mount  19  guns,  and  which 
was  subsequently  called  the  Detroit. 

"  Cor?  "'ctory  accounts  having  been  given  of  the  sizes  of 
these  vc.v  s  the  writer  feels  it  due  to  himself  to  mention  his 
authorities.  At  the  Navy  Department  is  an  appraisement  of 
the  prizes  taken  on  lake  Erie,  made  by  two  impartial  and  ex 
perienced  captains,  in  conjunction  with  the  celebrated  builder 
Henry  Eckford.  With  a  view  to  compare  the  opinions  of 
these  gentlemen  with  those  of  others  competent  to  judge,  an 
officer,  familiar  with  the  vessels,  now  a  captain,  was  desired 
to  set  down  his  recollections  of  the  sizes  of  the  six  British 
vessels  taken  on  lake  Erie.  In  '  James's  Naval  Occurrences,' 
a  work  of  no  authority,  certainly,  in  matters  of  opinion,  is  a 
table  professing  to  contain  the  English  statement  of  the  same 
tonnage.  As  it  is  not  improbable  this  document  was  derived 
from  the  public  officers,  we  give  the  three  as  we  found  them. 

Appraisers.  Am.  Officer.  James. 

Detroit near  500  tons near  500 305 

Queen  Charlotte,  .about  400 380   280 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  547 


Appraisers.  Am.  Officer.  James. 

Lady  Prevost. -230 -200  120 

Hunter..., 180 , 150 74 

Little  Belt near  100 70   54 

Chippeway  .......  near  100 70   32 

1510  1370  865 

"  It  is  proper  to  add,  that  the  American  officer  consulted, 
knew  nothing  of  the  appraisement.  The  discrepancy  between 
the  American  and  English  accounts  may  possibly  be  explained 
in  the  following  manner.  A  vessel  of  war  is  measured  for 
the  purposes  of  estimating  her  cost,  half  the  breadth  of  beam 
being  assumed  to  be  the  depth  of  hold.  The  vessels  on  the 
lakes  could  scarcely  be  said  to  have  holds ;  the  American 
brigs,  which,  on  the  ocean,  would  have  drawn  16  feet  of 
water,  drawing  not  more  than  half  as  much  on  the  lakes. 
Consequently,  the  carpenter's  work  was  essentially  less  on 
these  vessels,  than  on  those  built  for  the  ocean.  The  object 
of  the  measurement  being  to  calculate  the  cost,  it  is  not  im 
probable  that  Mr.  James  has  been  furnished  with  an  estimate 
of  the  tonnage  by  which  the  holds  were  actually  measured, 
as  is  usual  with  vessels  that  have  but  one  deck,  a  mode  of 
calculating  that  would  fully  account  for  the  difference. 

"  It  was  near  the  end  of  June,  before  Captain  Perry  was 
ready  to  sail  from  the  outlet  of  lake  Erie,  for  Presque  Isle. 
There  being  no  intention  to  engage  the  enemy,  and  little 
dread  of  meeting  him  in  so  short  a  run,  as  she  came  in  sight 
of  her  port  each  vessel  made  the  best  of  her  way.  The  ene 
my  had  chosen  this  moment  to  look  into  Presque  Isle,  and 
both  squadrons  were  in  view  from  the  shore  at  the  same  time, 
though,  fortunately  for  the  Americans,  the  English  did  not 
get  a  sight  of  them  until  they  were  too  near  the  land  to  be 
intercepted.  As  the  last  vessel  got  in,  the  enemy  hove  in 
sight  in  the  offing. 

"  The  two  brjgs  laid  down  in  the  winter,  under  the  direc 
tions  of  Commodore  Chauncey,  had  been  launched  towards 
the  close  of  May,  and  were  now  in  a  state  of  forwardness. 
They  were  called  the  Lawrence  and  the  Niagara.  The 
schooners  also  were  in  the  water,  and  Captain  Perry,  having 
all  his  vessels  in  one  port,  employed  himself  in  getting  them 


548  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


ready  for  service,  as  fast  as  possible.  Still  various  stores 
were  wanting.  There  was  a  great  deficiency  of  men,  parti 
cularly  of  seamen,  and  Captain  Perry  and  Mr.  D.  Turner 
were,  as  yet,  the  only  commissioned  sea-officers  on  the  lake. 
The  latter,  moreover,  was  quite  young  in  years,  as  well  as  in 
rank, 

"  Presque  Isle,  or,  as  the  place  is  now  called,  Erie,  was  a 
good  and  spacious  harbour ;  but  it  had  a  bar  on  which  there- 
was  less  than  seven  feet  of  water.  This  bar,  which  had 
hitherto  answered  the  purposes  of  a  fortification,  now  offered 
a  serious  obstruction  to  getting  the  brigs  on  the  lake.  It  lay 
about  half  a  mile  outside,  and  offered  great  advantages  to  the 
enemy,  did  he  choose  to  profit  by  them,  for  attacking  the 
Americans  while  employed  in  passing  it.  So  sensible  was 
Captain  Perry  of  this  disadvantage,  that  he  adopted  the  ut 
most  secrecy  in  order  to  conceal  his  intentions,  for  it  was 
known  i.hat  the  enemy  had  spies  closely  watching  his  move 
ments. 

*'  Captain  Barclay  had  lately  superseded  Captain  Fhmis  in 
the  command  of  the  English  force,  and  for  near  a  week  he 
had  been  blockading  the  American  vessels,  evidently  with  an 
intention  to  prevent  their  getting  out.  it  being  known  that 
this  bar  could  be  crossed  only"  in  smooth  water.  On  Friday, 
the  2d  of  August,  he  suddenly  disappeared  in  the  northern 
board. 

'•'  The  next  day  but  one  was  StfndaX",  and  the  pfficers  were 
ashore  seeking  the  customary  relaxation,  \Vilhout  aiiy  ap 
pearances  of  unusual  preparation,  Captain  Pen-}  privately 
gave  the  order  to  repair  on  board  the  respective  vessels  and 
to  drop  down  to  the  bar.  This  command  was  immediately 
obeyed;  and  at  about  two  P.  M..  the  Lawrence  had  been 
towed  to  the  point  where  the  deepest  water  was  to  be  found. 
Her  guns  were  whipped  out,  loaded  and  shotted  as  they  were, 
and  landed  on  the  beach ;  two  large  scows,  prepared  for  the 
purpose,  were  hauled  alongside,  and  the  work  of  lifting  the 
brig  proceeded  as  fast  as  possible.  Pieces  of  massive  timber 
had  been  run  through  the  forward  and  after  ports,  and  when 
the  scows  were  sunk  to  the  water's  edge,  the  ends  of  the  tim- 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  549 

bers  were  blocked  up,  supported  by  these  floating  foundations, 
The  plugs  were  now  put  in  the  scows,  and  the  water  was 
pumped  out  of  th<?m.  By  this  process,  the  brig  was  lifted 
quite  two  feet,  though,  when  she  was  got  on  the  bar,  it  was 
found  that  she  still  drew  too  much  water.  It  became  neces 
sary,  in  consequence,  to  come-up  everything,  to  sink  the 
scows  anew,  and  to  block  up  the  timbers  afresh.  This  duty 
occupied  the  night. 

"  The  schooners  had  crossed  the  bar,  and  were  moored  out 
side,  and  preparations  were  hurriedly  made  to  receive  an 
attack.  About  eight  A.  M.  the  enemy  re-appeared.  At  this 
time,  the  Lawrence  was  just  passing  the  bar.  A  distant, 
short,  and  harmless  cannonade  ensued,  though  it  had  the 
effect  to  keep  the  enemy  from  running  in.  As  soon  as  the 
Lawrence  was  in  deep  water,  her  guns  were  hoisted  in,  man 
ned  as  fast  as  mounted,  and  the  brig's  broadside  was  sprung 
to  bear  on  the  English  squadron.  Fortunately,  the  Niagara 
crossed  on  the  first  trial;  and  before  night,  all  the  vessels 
were  as  ready  for  service  as  circumstances  would  then  allow. 
The  enemy  remained  with  his  topsails  to  the  mast  half  an 
hour,  sullenly  reconnoitring;  he  then  filled,  and  went  up  the 
lake  under  a  press  of  canvass. 

"  This  occurred  on  the  4th  of  August,  and  on  the  5th,  Cap 
tain  Perry  sailed  in  quest  of  the  enemy,  having  received  on 
board  a  number  of  soldiers  and  volunteers.  He  ran  off  Long 
Point,  and,  sweeping  the  Canada  shore  for  some  distance, 
returned  to  Erie  on  the  8th.  Taking  in  some  supplies,  he 
was  about  to  proceed  up  the  lake  again,  when  intelligence 
arrived  that  the  party  sent  from  below,  under  Lieutenant 
Elliott,  was  at  Cattaraugus,  on  its  way  to  join  the  squadron. 
A  vessel  was  immediately  sent  for  this  acceptable  reinforce 
ment.  Shortly  after  its  arrival,  the  commissions  that  had 
been  made  out  some  time  previously,  were  received  from  be 
low.  By  these  changes,  Mr.  Elliott  became  a  master  and 
commander,  and  Messrs.  Holdup,  Packet t,  Yarnall,  Edwards, 
and  Conklin,  were  raised  to  the  rank  of  lieutenants.  Most 
of  these  gentlemen,  however,  had  been  acting  fof  some  months. 

"  The  American  squadron  now  consisted  of  the  Lawrence 


550  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 

20,  Captain  Perry ;  Niagara  20,  Captain  Elliott ;  Caledonia 
3,  Mr.  M'Grath,  a  purser;  Ariel  4.  Lieutenant  Packett; 
Trippe  1,  Lieutenant  Smith;  Tigress  1,  Lieutenant  Conklin  ; 
Somers  2.  Mr.  Almy;  Scorpion  2,  Mr.  Champlin ;  Ohio  1, 
Mr.  Dobbins;  Porcupine  1,  Mr.  Senatt.  On  the  18th  of  Au 
gust,  it  sailed  from  Erie,  and  off  Sandusky,  a  few  days  later, 
it  chased,  and  was  near  capturing  one  of  the  enemy's  schoo 
ners. 

"  The  squadron  cruised  for  several  days,  near  the  entrance 
of  the  strait,  when  Captain  Perry  was  taken  ill  with  the  fever 
peculiar  to  these  waters,  and,  shortly  after,  the  vessels  went 
into  a  harbour,  among  some  islands  that  lay  at  no  great  dis 
tance,  which  is  called  Put-in-Bay.. 

"  Here  a  few  changes  occurred,  Mr.  Smith  going  to  the 
Niagara,  and  Mr.  Holdup  to  the  Trippe ;  Mr.  M'Grath  went 
also  to  the  Niagara,  and  Mr.  Turner  took  command  of  the 
Caledonia.  The  Ohio  was  sent  down  the  lake  on  duty. 

"  While  in  port,  on  this  occasion,  Captain  Perry  contem 
plated  an  attack  on  the  enemy's  vessels,  by  means  of  boats, 
and  orders  were  issued,  accordingly,  to  drill  the  people  with 
muffled  oars. 

"  The  squadron  was  still  lying  at  Put-in-Bay  on  the  morn 
ing  of  the  10th  of  September,  when,  at  day-light,  the  enemy's 
ships  were  discovered  at  the  N.  W.  from  the  mast-head  of 
the  Lawrence.  A  signal  was  immediately  made  for  all  the 
vessels  to  get  under  way.  The  wind  was  light  at  S.  W.,  and 
there  was  no  mode  of  obtaining  the  weather-gage  of  the 
enemy,  a  very  important  measure  with  the  peculiar  arma 
ment  of  the  largest  of  the  American  vessels,  but  by  beating 
round  some  small  islands  that  lay  in  the  way.  It  being  thought 
there  was  not  sufficient  time  for  this,  though  the  boats  were 
got  ahead  to  tow,  a  signal  wras  about  to  be  made  for  the  ves 
sels  to  wear,  and  to  pass  to  leeward  of  the  islands,  with  an 
intention  of  giving  the  enemy  this  great  advantage,  when  the 
wind  shifted  to  S.  E.  By  this  change,  the  American  squadron 
was  enabled  to  pass  in  the  desired  direction,  and  to  gain  the 
wind.  When  he  perceived  the  American  vessels  clearing  the 
land,  or  about  ten  A.  M..  the  enemv  hove-to,  in  a  line,  with 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAli.  551 

his  ship's  heads  to  the  southward  and  westward.  At  this 
time,  the  two  squadrons  were  about  three  leagues  asunder, 
the  breeze  being  stili  at  S.  E.,  and  sufficient  to  work  with. 
After  standing  down,  until  about  a  league  from  the  English, 
where  a  better  view  was  got  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
enemy  had  formed  his  line,  the  leading  vessels  of  his  own 
squadrons  being  within  hail,  Captain  Perry  communicated  a 
new  order  of  attack.  It  had  been  expected  that  the  Queen 
Charlotte,  the  second  of  the  English  vessels  in  regard  to  force, 
would  be  at  the  head  of  their  line,  and  the  Niagara  had  been 
destined  to  lead  in,  and  to  lie  against  her,  Captain  Perry  hav 
ing  reserved  for  himself  a  commander's  privilege  of  engaging 
the  principal  vessel  of  the  opposing  squadron ;  but  it  now 
appearing  that  the  anticipated  arrangement  had  not  been 
made,  the  plan  was  promptly  altered.  Captain  Barclay  had 
formed  his  with  the  Chippeway,  Mr.  Campbell,  armed  with 
one  gun  on  a  pivot,  in  the  van;  the  Detroit,  his  own  vessel, 
next ;  and  the  Hunter,  Lieutenant  Bignall ;  Queen  Charlotte, 
Captain  Finnis ;  Lady  Prevost,  Lieutenant-Commandant 
Buchan;  and  Little  Belt  astern,  in  the  order  named.  To 
oppose  this  line,  the  Ariel,  of  four  long  twelves,  was  stationed 
in  the  van,  and  the  Scorpion,  of  one  long  and  one  short  gun  on 
circles,  next  her.  The  Lawrence,  Captain  Perry,  came  next  ; 
the  two  schooners  just  mentioned  keeping  on  her  weather- 
bow,  having  no  quarters.  The  Caledonia,  Lieutenant  Turner, 
was  the  next  astern,  and  the  Niagara,  Captain  Elliott,  was 
placed  next  to  the  Caledonia.  These  vessels  were  all  up  at 
the  time,  but  the  other  light  craft  were  more  or  less  distant, 
each  endeavouring  to  get  into  her  berth.  The  order  of  battle 
for  the  remaining  vessels,  directed  the  Tigress  to  fall  in  astern 
of  the  Niagara,  the  Sorners  next,  and  the  Porcupine  and 
Trippe,  in  the  order  named. 

"  In  consequence  of  neither  of  the  commanding  officers 
having  given  his  order  of  battle  in  his  published  official  letter, 
it  is  difficult  to  obtain  the  stations  of  some  of  the  smaller  ves 
sels.  By  some  accounts,  the  Lady  Prevost  i?  said  to  have 
been  between  the  Detroit  and  the  Queen  Charlotte,  by  others, 
the  Hunter.  The  latter  is  believed  to  be  the  true  statement. 


552  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


On  the  other  hand,  some  accounts  place  the  Somers,  and  oth 
ers  the  Tigress,  next  astern  of  the  Niagara.  The  fact  is  im 
material,  but  the  account  which  seems  to  be  best  authenti 
cated,  has  been  chosen. 

"  By  this  time  the  wind  had  got  to  be  very  light,  but  the 
leading  vessels  were  all  in  their  stations,  and  the  remainder 
were  endeavouring  to  get  in  as  fast  as  possible.  The  Eng 
lish  vessels  presented  a  very  gallant  array,  and  their  appear 
ance  was  beautiful  and  imposing.  Their  line  was  compact, 
with  the  heads  of  the  vessels  still  to  the  southward  and  west 
ward  ;  their  ensigns  were  just  opening  to  the  air ;  their  ves 
sels  were  freshly  painted,  and  their  canvass  was  new  and 
perfect.  The  American  line  was  more  straggling.  The  order 
of  battle  required  them  to  form  within  half  a  cable's-length 
of  each  other,  but  the  schooners  astern  could  not  close  with 
the  vessels  ahead,  which  sailed  faster,  and  had  more  light 
canvass,  until  some  considerable  time  had  elapsed. 

"A  few  minutes  before  twelve,  the  Detroit  threw  a  twenty- 
four  pound  shot  at  the  Lawrence,  then  on  her  weather-quarter, 
distant  between  one  and  two  miles.  Captain  Perry  now 
passed  an  order  by  trumpet,  through  the  vessels  astern,  for 
the  line  to  close  to  the  prescribed  order,  and  soon  after,  the 
Scorpion  was  hailed,  and  directed  to  begin  with  her  long  gun. 
At  this  moment,  the  American  vessels  in  line  were  edging 
down  upon  the  English,  those  in  front  being  necessarily 
nearer  to  the  enemy  than  those  more  astern,  with  the  excep 
tion  of  the  Ariel  and  Scorpion,  which  two  schooners  had 
been  ordered  to  keep  well  to  windward  of  the  Lawrence. 
As  the  Detroit  had  an  armament  of  long  guns,  Captain  Bar 
clay  manifested  his  judgment  in  commencing  the  action  in 
this  manner,  and  in  a  short  time,  the  firing  between  that  ship, 
the  Lawrence,  and  the  two  schooners  at  the  head  of  the  Ame 
rican  line,  got  to  be  very  animated.  The  Lawrence  now 
showed  a  signal  for  the  squadron  to  close,  each  vessel  in  her 
station,  as  previously  designated.  A  few  minutes  later  the 
vessels  astern  began  to  fire,  and  the  action  became  general 
but  distant.  The  Lawrence,  however,  appeared  to  be  the 
principal  aim  of  the  enemy,  and  before  the  firing  had  lasted 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  553 


any  material  time,  the  Detroit,  Hunter,  and  Queen  Charlotte, 
were  directing  most  of  their  efforts  against  her.  The  Ame 
rican  brig  endeavoured  to  close,  and  did  succeed  in  getting 
within  reach  of  canister,  though  not  without  suffering  mate 
rially,  as  she  fanned  down  upon  the  enemy.  At  this  time, 
the  support  of  the  schooners  ahead,  which  were  well  com 
manded  and  fought,  was  of  the  greatest  moment  to  her,  for 
|.the  vessels  astern,  though  in  the  line,  could  be  of  little  use  in 
diverting  the  fire,  on  account  of  their  positions  and  the  dis 
tance.  After  the  firing  had  lasted  some  time,  the  Niagara 
hailed  the  Caledonia,  and  directed  the  latter  to  make  room 
for  the  former  to  pass  ahead.  Mr.  Turner  put  his  helm  up 
in  the  most  dashing  manner,  and  continued  to  near  the  enemy, 
until  he  was  closer  to  his  line,  perhaps,  than  the  commanding 
vessel,  keeping  up  as  warm  a  fire  as  his  small  armament 
would  allow.  The  Niagara  now  became  the  vessel  next  astern 
of  the  Lawrence. 

"  The  cannonade  had  the  usual  effect  of  deadening  the 
wind,  and  for  two  hours  there  was  very  little  air.  During 
all  this  time,  the  weight  of  the  enemy's  fire  was  directed 
against  the  Lawrence;  the  Queen  Charlotte,  having  filled, 
passed  the  Hunter,  and  closed  with  the  Detroit,  where  she 
kept  up  a  destructive  cannonading  on  this  devoted  vessel. 
These  united  attacks  nearly  dismantled  the  American  brig, 
besides  producing  great  slaughter  on  board  her.  At  the  end 
of  two  hours  and  a  half,  agreeably  to  the  report  of  Captain 
Perry,  the  enemy  having  filled,  and  the  wind  increasing,  the 
two  squadrons  drew  slowly  ahead,  the  Lawrence  necessarily 
falling  astern  and  partially  out  of  the  combat.  At  this  mo 
ment,  the  Niagara  passed  to  the  southward  and  westward,  a 
short  distance  to  windward  of  the  Lawrence,  steering  for  the 
head  of  the  enemy's  line,  and  the  Caledonia  followed  to  lee 
ward. 

"  The  vessels  astern  had  not  been  idle,  but,  by  dint  of 
sweeping  and  sailing,  they  had  all  got  within  reach  of  their 
guns,  and  had  been  gradually  closing,  though  not  in  the  pre 
scribed  order.  The  rear  of  the  line  would  seem  to  have  in 
clined  down  towards  the  enemy,  bringing  the  Trippe,  Lieu- 

70  2w 


554  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813- 


tenant  Holdup,  so  near  the  Caledonia,  that  the  latter  sent  a 
boat  to  her  for  a  supply  of  cartridges. 

"  Captain  Perry,  finding  himself  in  a  vessel  that  had  been 
rendered  nearly  useless  by  the  injuries  she  had  received,  and 
which  was  dropping  out  of  the  combat,  got  into  his  boat  and 
pulled  after  the  Niagara,  on  board  of  which  vessel  he  arrived 
at  about  half-past  two.  Soon  after,  the  colours  of  the  Law 
rence  were  hauled  down,  that  vessel  being  literally  a  wreck. 

"After  a  short  consultation  between  Captains  Perry  and 
Elliott,  the  latter  volunteered  to  take  the  boat  of  the  former, 
and  to  proceed  and  bring  the  small  vessels  astern,  which  were 
already  briskly  engaged,  into  still  closer  action.  This  propo 
sal  being  accepted,  Captain  Elliott  pulled  down  the  line,  pass 
ing  within  hail  of  all  the  small  vessels  astern,  directing  them 
to  close  within  half  pistol-shot  of  the  enemy,  and  to  throw 
in  grape  and  canister,  as  soon  as  they  could  get  the  desired 
positions.  He  then  repaired  on  board  the  Somers,  and  took 
charge  of  that  schooner  in  person. 

"  When  the  enemy  saw  the  colours  of  the  Lawrence  come 
down,  he  confidently  believed  that  he  had  gained  the  day. 
His  men  appeared  over  the  bulwarks  of  the  different  vessels 
and  gave  three  cheers.  For  a  few  minutes,  indeed,  there  ap 
pears  to  have  been,  as  if  by  common  consent,  a  general  ces 
sation  in  the  firing,  during  which  both  parties  were  preparing 
for  a  desperate  and  final  effort.  The  wind  had  freshened, 
and  the  position  of  the  Niagara,  which  brig  was  now  abeam 
of  the  leading  English  vessel,  was  commanding,  while  the 
gun-vessels  astern,  in  consequence  of  the  increasing  breeze, 
were  enabled  to  close  very  fast. 

*'  At  forty-five  minutes  past  two,  or  when  time  had  been 
given  to  the  gun-vessels  to  receive  the  order  mentioned,  Cap 
tain  Perry  showed  the  signal  from  the  Niagara,  for  close  ac 
tion,  and  immediately  bore  up,  under  his  foresail,  topsails, 
and  topgallant-sail.  As  the  American  vessels  hoisted  their 
answering  flags,  this  order  was  received  with  three  cheers, 
and  it  was  obeyed  with  alacrity  and  spirit.  The  enemy  now 
attempted  to  wear  round,  to  get.  fresh  broadsides  to  bear,  in 
doing  which,  his  line  got  into  confusion,  and  the  two  ships 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  555 

for  a  short  time,  were  foul  of  each  other,  while  the  Lady  Pre- 
vost  had  so  far  shifted  her  berth  as  to  be  both  to  the  west 
ward  and  to  the  leeward  of  the  Detroit.  At  this  critical  mo 
ment,  the  Niagara  came  steadily  down,  within  half  pistol-shot 
of  the  enemy,  standing  between  the  Chippeway  and  Lady 
Prevost,  on  one  side,  and  the  Detroit,  Queen  Charlotte,  and 
Hunter,,  on  the  other.  In  passing,  she  poured  in  her  broad 
sides,  starboard  and  larboard,  ranged  ahead  of  the  ships, 
luffed  athwart  their  bows,  and  continued  delivering  a  close 
and  deadly  fire.  The  shrieks  from  the  Detroit,  proclaimed 
that  the  tide  of  battle  had  turned.  At  the  same  moment,  the 
gun- vessels  and  Caledonia  were  throwing  in  close  discharges 
of  grape  and  canister  astern.  A  conflict  so  fearfully  close, 
and  so  deadly,  was  necessarily  short.  In  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes  after  the  Niagara  bore  up,  a  hail  was  passed  among 
the  small  vessels,  to  say  that  the  enemy  had  struck,  and  an 

|  officer  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  appeared  on  the  tafifrail  of  that 

i  ship,  waving  a  white  handkerchief,  bent  to  a  boarding-pike. 
"As  soon  as  the  smoke  cleared  away,  the  two  squadrons 

j  were  found  partly  intermingled.  The  Niagara  lay  to  lee 
ward  of  the  Detroit.  Queen  Charlotte,  and  Hunter,  and  the 
Caledonia,  with  one  or  two  of  the  gun-vessels,  was  between 
the  latter  and  the  Lady  Prevost.  On  board  the  Niagara,  the 
signal  for  close  action  was  still  aboard,  while  the  small  ves 
sels  were  sternly  wearing  their  answering  flags.  The  Little 
Belt  and  Chippeway  were  endeavouring  to  escape  to  leeward, 
but  they  were  shortly  after  brought-to  by  the  Scorpion  and 
Trippe ;  while  the  Lawrence  was  lying  astern  and  to  wind 
ward,  with  the  American  colours  again  flying.  The  battle 
had  commenced  about  noon,  and  it  terminated  at  three,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  shots  fired  at  the  two  vessels  that  at 
tempted  to  escape,  which  were  not  overtaken  until  an  hour 
later. 

"  In  this  decisive  action,  so  far  as  their  people  were  con 
cerned,  the  two  squadrons  suffered  in  nearly  an  equal  degree, 
the  manner  in  wrhich  the  Lawrence  was  cut  up,  being  almost 
without  an  example  in  naval  warfare.  It  is  understood  that 

!  when  Captain  Perry  left  her,  she  had  but  one  gun  on  her 


556  THE    ARMY    A3SD    NAVY.  [1813. 


starboard  side,  or  that  on  which  she  was  engaged,  which 
could  be  used,  and  that  gallant  officer  is  said  to  have  aided 
in  firing  it  in  person,  the  last  time  it  was  discharged.  Of  her 
crew  twenty-two  were  killed,  and  sixty-one  were  wounded, 
most  of  the  latter  severely.  When  Captain  Perry  left  her, 
taking  with  him  four  of  her  people,  there  remained  on  board 
but  fifteen  sound  men.  The  Niagara  had  two  killed,  and 
twenty-five  wounded,  or  about  one-fourth  of  all  at  quarters. 
The  other  vessels  suffered  relatively  less.  The  Caledonia, 
Lieutenant  Turner,  though  carried  into  the  hottest  of  the 
action,  and  entirely  without  quarters,  had  three  men  wounded; 
the  Trippe,  Lieutenant  Holdup,  (now  Captain  Holdup  Ste 
vens,)  which,  for  some  time,  was  quite  as  closely  engaged, 
and  was  equally  without  quarters,  had  two  men  wounded ; 
the  Somers,  Mr.  Almy,  the  same ;  the  Ariel,  Lieutenant 
Packett,  had  one  man  killed,  and  three  wounded ;  the  Scor 
pion,  Mr.  Champlin,  had  two  killed,  one  of  whom  was  a  mid 
shipman;  the  Tigress,  Lieutenant  Conklin,  and  Porcupine, 
Mr.  Senatt,  had  no  one  hurt.  The  total  loss  of  the  squadron 
was  twenty-seven  killed,  and  ninety-six  wounded,  or  altoge 
ther,  one  hundred  and  twenty-three ;  of  whom  twelve  were 
quarter-deck  officers.  More  than  a  hundred  men  were  unfit 
for  duty,  among  the  different  vessels,  previously  to  the  action, 
cholera  morbus  and  dysentery  prevailing  in  the  squadron. 
Captain  Perry  himself,  was  labouring  under  debility,  from  a 
recent  attack  of  the  lake  fever,  and  could  hardly  be  said  to 
be  in  a  proper  condition  for  service,  when  he  met  the  enemy, 
a  circumstance  that  greatly  enhances  the  estimate  of  his  per 
sonal  exertions  on  this  memorable  occasion.  Among  the 
Americans  slain  were  Lieutenant  Brooks,  the  commanding 
marine  officer,  and  Messrs.  Lamb  and  Clarke,  midshipmen ; 
and  among  the  wounded,  Messrs.  Yarnall  and  Forrest,  the 
first  and  second-lieutenants  of  the  Lawrence,  Mr.  Taylor,  her 
master,  and  Messrs.  Swartwout  and  Claxton,  two  of  her  mid 
shipmen.  Mr.  Edwards,  second-lieutenant  of  the  Niagara, 
and  Mr.  Cummings,  one  of  her  midshipmen,  were  also 
wounded. 

"  For  two  hours,  the  weight  of  the  enemy's  fire  had  been 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  557 

thrown  into  the  Lawrence ;  and  the  water  being  perfectly 
smooth,  his  long  guns  had  committed  great  havoc,  before  the 
carronades  of  the  American  vessels  could  be  made  available. 
For  much  of  this  period,  it  is  believed  that  the  efforts  of  the 
enemy  were  little  diverted,  except  by  the  fire  of  the  two  lead 
ing  schooners,  a  gun  of  one  of  which  (the  Ariel)  had  early 
bursted,  the  two  long  guns  of  the  brigs,  and  the  two  long 
guns  of  the  Caledonia.  Although  the  enemy  undoubtedly 
suffered  by  this  fire,  it  was  not  directed  at  a  single  object,  as 
was  the  case  with  that  of  the  English,  who  appeared  to  think 
that  by  destroying  the  American  commanding  vessel,  they 
would  conquer.  It  is  true  that  carronades  were  used  on  Jsoth 
sides,  at  an  earlier  stage  of  the  action  than  that  mentioned, 
but  there  is  good  reason  for  thinking  that  they  did  but  little 
execution  for  the  first  hour.  When  they  did  tell,  the  Law 
rence,  the  vessel  nearest  to  the  enemy,  if  the  Caledonia  be 
excepted.  necessarily  became  their  object,  and,  by  this  time, 
the  efficiency  of  her  own  battery  was  much  lessened.  As  a 
consequence  of  these  peculiar  circumstances,  her  starboard 
bulwarks  were  nearly  beaten  in ;  arid  even  her  larboard  were 
greatly  injured,  many  of  the  enemy's  heavy  shot  passing 
through  both  sides ;  while  every  gun  was  finally  disabled  in 
the  batteries  fought.  Although  much  has  been  justly  said  of 
the  manner  in  which  the  Bon  Homme  Richard  and  the  Essex 
were  injured,  neither  of  these  ships  suffered,  relatively,  in  a 
degree  proportioned  to  the  Lawrence.  Distinguished  as  were 
the  two  former  vessels,  for  the  indomitable  resolution  with 
which  they  withstood  the  destructive  fire  directed  against 
.them,  it  did  not  surpa'ss  that  manifested  on  board  the  latter ; 
arni  it  ought  to  be  mentioned,  that  throughout  the  whole  of 
this  trying  day,  her  people,  who  had  been  so  short  a  time  act 
ing  together,  manifested  a  steadiness  and  a  discipline  worthy 
of  veterans, 

'•'Although  the  Niagara  suffered  in  a  much  less  degree, 

twenty-seven  men  killed  and  wounded,  in  a  ship's  company 

that  mustered  little  more  than  one  hundred  souls  at  quarters, 

•  under  ordinary  circumstances,  would  be  thought  a  large  pro- 

|  portion.     Neither  the  Niagara  nor  any  of  the  smaller  vessels  . 


2w 


558  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


were  injured  in  an  unusual  manner  in  their  hulls,  spars,  and 
sails,  the  enemy  having  expended  so  much  of  his  efforts  against 
the  Lawrence,  and  being  so  soon  silenced  when  that  brig  and 
the  gun-vessels  got  their  raking  positions,  at  the  close  of  the 
conflict. 

u  The  injuries  sustained  by  the  English  were  more  divided, 
but  were  necessarily  great.  According  to  the  official  report 
of  Captain  Barclay,  his  vessels  lost  forty-one  killed,  and 
ninety-four  wounded,  making  a  total  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five,  including  twelve  officers,  the  precise  number  lost 
by  the  Americans.  No  report  has  been  published,  in  which 
the  loss  of  the  respective  vessels  was  given,  but  the  Detroit 
hac?  her  first-lieutenant  killed,  and  her  commander,  Captain 
Barclay,  with  her  purser,  wounded.  Captain  Finnis,  of  the 
Queen  Charlotte,  was  also  slain,  and  her  first-lieutenant  was 
wounded.  The  commanding  officer  and  first-lieutenant  of  the 
Lady  Prevost  wrere  among  the  wounded,  as  were  the  com 
manding  officers  of  the  Hunter  and  Chippeway.  All  the  ves 
sels  were  a  good  deal  injured  in  their  sails  and  hulls ;  the 
Queen  Charlotte  suffering  most  in  proportion.  Both  the  De 
troit  and  Queen  Charlotte,  however,  rolled  the  masts  out  of 
them,  at  anchor  at  Put-in-Bay,  in  a  gale  of  wind,  two  days 
after  the  action. 

"  It  is  not  easy  to  make  a  just  comparison  between  the 
forces  of  the  hostile  squadrons,  on  this  occasion.  In  certain 
situations  the  Americans  would  have  been  materially  supe 
rior,  while  in  others  the  enemy  might  possess  the  advantage 
in  perhaps  an  equal  degree.  In  the  circumstances  under 
which  the  action  was  actually  fought,  the  peculiar  advan 
tages  and  disadvantages  were  nearly  equalized,  the  lightness 
of  the  wind  preventing  either  of  the  two  largest  of  the  Ame 
rican  vessels  from  profiting  by  its  peculiar  mode  of  efficiency, 
until  quite  near  the  close  of  the  engagement,  and  particularly 
favouring  the  armament  of  the  Detroit ;  while  the  smoothness 
of  the  water  rendered  the  light  vessels  of  the  Americans  very 
destructive,  as  scon  as  they  could  be  got  within  a  proper 
range.  The  Detroit  has  been  represented,  on  good  authority, 
to  have  been  both  a  heavier  and  stronger  ship  than  either  of 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  559 


the  American  brigs,  and  the  Queen  Charlotte  proved  to  be  a 
much  finer  vessel  than  had  been  expected ;  while  the  Lady 
Prevost  was  found  to  be  a  large,  warlike  schooner.  It  was 
perhaps  unfortunate  for  the  enemy,  that  the  armaments  of  the 
two  last  were  not  available  under  the  circumstances  which 
rendered  the  Detroit  so  efficient,  as  it  destroyed  the  unity  of 
his  efforts.  In  short,  the  battle,  for  near  half  its  duration, 
appears  to  have  been  fought,  so  far  as  efficiency  was  con 
cerned,  by  the  long  guns  of  the  two  squadrons.  This  was 
particularly  favourable  to  the  Detroit  and  to  the  American 
gun-vessels ;  while  the  latter  fought  under  the  advantages  of 
smooth  water,  and  the  disadvantages  of  having  no  quarters. 
The  sides  of  the  Detroit,  which  were  unusually  stout,  were 
filled  with  shot  that  did  not  penetrate.  The  larboard  side  of 
the  Detroit  is  stated  to  have  had  so  many  shot  sticking  in  it, 
and  so  many  mere  indentations,  that  doubts  have  been  sug 
gested  as  to  the  quality  of  the  American  powder.  It  is  pro 
bable,  however,  the  circumstance  arose  from  the  distance, 
which,  for  a  long  time,  was  not  within  fair  carronade  range, 
especially  with  grape,  or  canister,  over  round  shot. 

"  In  the  number  of  men  at  quarters,  there  could  have  been 
no  great  disparity  in  the  two  squadrons.  Mr.  Yarnall,  the 
first-lieutenant  of  the  Lawrence,  testified  before  a  court  of 
inquiry,  in  1815,  that  the  brig  to  which  he  belonged  had  but 
'  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  men  and  boys,  of  every  descrip 
tion'  on  board  her,  and  that  of  these  but  one  hundred  and 
three  were  fit  for  duty  in  the  action.  The  Niagara  was  nearly 
in  the  same  state.  A  part  of  the  crews  of  all  the  vessels  be 
longed  to  the  militia.  Indeed,  without  a  large  proportion  of 
volunteers  from  the  army,  the  battle  could  not  have  been 
fought.  The  British  were  no  better  off,  having  a  considerable 
proportion  of  soldiers  on  board  their  vessels,  though  men  of 
that  description  were  probably  as  efficient  in  smooth  water, 
and  under  the  actual  circumstances,  as  ordinary  sailors. 
Stress  was  laid,  at  the  time,  on  the  fact  that  a  portion  of  the 
British  crews  were  provincials,  but  the  history  of  this  conti 
nent  is  filled  with  instances  in  which  men  of  that  character 
have  gained  battles,  which  went  to  increase  the  renown  of 


560  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


the  mother  country,  without  obtaining  any  credit  for  it.  The 
hardy  frontier  men  of  the  American  lakes  are  as  able  to  en 
dure  fatigue,  as  ready  to  engage,  and  as  constant  in  battle,  as 
the  seamen  of  any  marine  in  the  world.  They  merely  require 
good  leaders,  and  these  the  English  appear  to  have  possessed 
in  Captain  Barclay  and  his  assistants. 

"  Captain  Perry,  in  his  report  of  the  action,  eulogised  the 
conduct  of  his  second  in  command,  Captain  Elliott,  that  of 
Mr.  Turner,  who  commanded  the  Caledonia,  and  that  of  the 
officers  of  his  own  vessel.  He  also  commended  the  officers 
of  the  Niagara,  Mr.  Packett  of  the  Ariel,  and  Mr.  Champlin 
of  the  Scorpion.  It  is  now  believed  that  the  omission  of  the 
names  of  the  commanders  of  the  gun- vessels  astern,  was  acci 
dental.  It  would  seem  that  these  vessels,  in  general,  were 
conducted  with  great  gallantry.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
action,  indeed,  the  Caledonia,  and  some  of  the  gun-vessels 
would  appear  to  have  been  handled  with  a  boldness,  consi 
dering  their  total  want  of  quarters,  bordering  on  temerity. 
They  are  known  to  have  been  within  hail  of  the  enemy  at 
the  moment  he  struck,  and  to  have  been  hailed  by  him.  The 
grape  and  canister  thrown  by  the  Niagara  and  the  schooners, 
during  the  last  ten  minutes  of  the  battle,  and  which  missed 
the  enemy,  rattled  through  the  spars  of  the  friendly  vessels, 
as  they  laid  opposite  to  each  other,  raking  the  English  ahead 
and  astern. 

"  Captain  Perry  was  criticised,  at  the  time,  for  the  manner 
in  which  he  had  brought  his  squadrons  into  action,  it  being 
thought  he  should  have  waited  until  his  line  was  more  com 
pactly  formed,  and  his  small  vessels  could  have  closed.     It 
has  been  said,  that '  an  officer  seldom  went  into  action  worse, 
I  or  got  out  of  it  better/     Truth  is  too  often  made  the  sacrifice 
|  of  antithesis.      The  mode  of  attack  appears  to  have  been 
[  deemed  by  the  enemy  judicious,  an  opinion  that  speaks  in  its 
|  favour.     The  lightness  of  the  wind,  in  edging  down,  was  the 
only  circumstance  that  was  particularly  adverse  to  the  Ame 
rican  vessels,  but  its  total  failure  could  not  have  been  fore 
seen.     The  shortness  of  the  distances  on  the  lake  rendered 
escape  so  easy,  when  an  officer  was  disposed  to  avoid  a  battle, 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  561 


that  no  commander,  who  desired  an  action,  would  have  been 
pardonable  for  permitting  a  delay  on  such  a  plea.     The  line 
of  battle  was  highly  judicious,  the  manner  in  which  the  Law 
rence  was  supported  by  the  Ariel  and  Scorpion  being  simple  and 
ingenious.     By  steering  for  the  head  of  the  enemy's  line,  the 
latter  was  prevented  from  gaining  the  wind  by  tacking,  and 
when  Captain  Elliott  imitated  this  manoeuvre  in  the  Niagara, 
the  American  squadron  had  a  very  commanding  position,  of 
which  Captain  Perry  promptly  availed  himself.     In  a  word, 
the  American  commander  appears  to  have  laid  his  plan  with 
skill  and  judgment,  and,  in  all  in  which  it  was  frustrated,  it 
would  seem  to  have  been  the  effect  of  accident.     There  has 
never  been  but  one  opinion  of  the  manner  in  which  he  re 
deemed  his  error,  even  admitting  that  a  fault  was  made  at 
the  outset ;  the  united  movements  of  the  Niagara  and  of  the 
small  vessels  at  the  close  of  the  action,  having  been  as  judi 
cious  as  they  were  gallant  and  decisive.     The  personal  de 
portment  of  Captain  Perry,  throughout  the  day,  was  worthy 
of  all  praise.     He  did  not  quit  his  own  vessel,  when  she  be 
came  useless,  to  retire  from  the  battle,  but  to  gain  it ;  an  enc 
that  was  fully  obtained,  and  which  resulted  in  a  triumph.    A 
popular  opinion,  which  is  too  apt  to  confound  distinctions  in 
such  matters,  usually  attaches  the  idea  of  more  gallantry  to 
the  mere  act  of  passing  in  a  boat  from  one  vessel  to  another 
during  an  action,  than  in  fighting  on  a  vessel's  deck.     This 
was  the  least  of  Perry's  merits.     Captain  Elliott  \vas  mucl 
longer  in  the  same  boat,  and  passed  nearly  through  the  whol< 
j  line  twice ;  and  Mr.  M'Grath  had  left  the  Niagara  for  one  o 
the  other  vessels,  in  quest  of  shot,  before  Captain  Perry  quit 
ted  the  Lawrence.     A  boat  also  passed  twice,  if  not  thre< 
times,  from  the  Caledonia  to  the  Trippe  in  the  height  of  tin 
engagement,  and  others,  quite  likely,  were  sent  from  vessel  t< 
vessel.     Captain  Perry's  merit  was  an  indomitable  resolution 
not  to  be  conquered,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  sought  nev 
modes  of  victory,  when  the  old  ones  failed  him.     The  positioi 
taken  by  the  Niagara,  at  the  close  of  the  affair,  the  fact  tha 
he  sought  the  best  means  of  repairing  his  loss,  and  the  motiv 

with  which  he  passed  from  vessel  to  vessel,  constitute  hi 
_  _ 


562  THE    ARMY    AIVD    NAVY.  [1813. 

claims  to  admiration.  There  was,  no  doubt,  a  personal  risk 
in  all  the  boats,  but  there  \vas  personal  risk  everywhere  on 
such  an  occasion. 

"  The  British  vessels  appear  to  have  been  gallantly  fought, 
and  were  surrendered  only  when  the  battle  was  hopelessly 
lost.  The  fall  of  their  different  commanders  was  materially 
against  them,  though  it  is  not  probable  the  day  could  have 
been  recovered  after  the  Niagara  gained  the  head  of  their  line 
and  the  gnn- vessels  had  closed.  If  the  enemy  made  an  error, 
it  was  iii  not  tacking  when  he  attempted  to  wear,  but  it  is 
quite  probable  that  the  condition  of  his  vessels  did  not  admit 
of  the  former  manoeuvre.  There  was  an  instant  when  the 
enemy  believed  himself  the  conqueror,  and  a  few  minutes 
even,  when  the  Americans  doubted,  though  they  never  de 
spaired;  but  a  moment  sufficed  to  change  their  feelings, 
teaching  the  successful  the  fickleness  of  fortune,  and  admon 
ishing  the  depressed  of  the  virtue  of  perseverance. 

"  For  his  conduct  in  this  battle,  Captain  Perry  received  a 
gold  medal  from  Congress.  Captain  Elliott  also  received  a 
gold  medal.  Rewards  were  bestowed  on  the  officers  and  men 
generally,  and  the  nation  has  long  considered  this  action  one 
of  its  p?'-  --st  achievements  on  the  water. 

"  The  L  .  :lts  of  the  victory  were  instantaneous  and  of  high 
importance.  The  four  smallest  of  the  prizes  were  fitted  as 
transports,  and,  the  Lawrence  excepted,  the  American  squad 
ron  was  employed  in  the  same  duty.  The  English  had  eva 
cuated  Detroit,  and  with  it  Michigan,  and  on  the  23d  of  Sep 
tember,  the  squadron  conveyed  a  body  of  1200  men  to  the 
vicinity  of  Maiden,  in  Upper  Canada,  of  which  place  they 
took  possession ;  and  on  the  27th,  Captain  Perry  ascended  to 
Detroit  in  the  Ariel,  and  re-occupied  that  town,  in  conjunc 
tion  with  the  army.  A  day  or  two  later,  Captain  Elliott, 
with  the  Niagara,  Lady  Prevost,  Scorpion,  and  Tigress,  went 
into  Lake  St.  Clair,  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  baggage.  On  the 
2d  of  October,  a  part  of  the  vessels  assembled  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Thames,  with  stores  for  the  army,  and,  as  the  latter 
advanced,  Captain  Elliott  ascended  the  stream,  with  the 
Scorpion,  Porcupine,  and  Tigress,  until  he  reached  a  point 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  563 


where  the  banks  of  the  river  rendered  it  too  hazardous  to  go 
any  further,  by  exposing  the  vessels  to  the  fire  of  the  Indians. 
The  battle  of  the  Moravian  Towns  was  fought  on  the  5th  of 
the  same  month,  when  the  savages  received  a  severe  rebuke, 
and  nearly  the  whole  of  the  right  wing  of  the  British  army 
in  the  Canadas,  laid  down  their  arms  on  the  field,  under  a 
charge  of  the  American  mounted  volunteers.  After  this  suc 
cess,  which  placed  most  of  the  upper  part  of  the  province  in 
the  hands  of  the  conquerors,  the  vessels  were  employed  in 
bringing  away  the  ammunition  and  other  captured  stores. 
October  18th,  General  Harrison  and  Captain  Perry,  the  latter 
of  whom  had  been  present  at  the  battle  on  shore,  issued  a 
joint  proclamation,  for  the  better  government  of  the  con 
quered  territory,  assuring  to  the  people  their  ancient  laws 
and  usages,  and  the  rights  of  property. 

"  On  the  23d  of  October,  the  squadron  transported  the 
army  of  General  Harrison  to  Buffalo,  and  on  the  25th,  Cap 
tain  Perry  resigned  the  command  of  the  upper  lakes  to  Cap 
tain  Elliott,  repairing  himself  to  the  sea-board.  November 
29th,  this  gallant  and  successful  officer  received  the  commis 
sion  of  a  captain,  which  was  dated  on  the  day  of  the  victory, 
and  soon  after  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Java 
44,  a  new  frigate,  then  fitting  for  sea  at  Baltimore.  There  is 
a  letter  on  file  in  the  Navy  Department,  in  which  Captain 
Perry,  who  had  only  been  a  commander  about  a  year,  ex 
presses  some  doubts  of  the  propriety  of  accepting  this  rank 
over  the  heads  of  his  seniors,  and  his  readiness  to  yield  to 
their  claims.'' 


564  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

General  Harrison  directs  his  Forces  against  Detroit  and  Maiden,  in  possession 
of  the  inhuman  Proctor — The  latter  retreats,  burning  Maiden — Rapid  Pursuit  of 
the  Americans — Colonel  Johnson  engages  the  Enemy — Achieves  a  glorious  Vic 
tory — Exposes  himself  to  all  the  Dangers  of  the  Field — Kills  Tecumseh — Is  car 
ried  from  the  Battle  Ground  covered  with  Wounds — Detroit  falls  into  the  Hands 
of  the  Americans. 

"  There  was  a  speedy  gathering  then, 
Of  fiery-  youths  and  fearless  men. 

And  mettled  steeds ; 
Ne'er  had  fair  Elkhorn's  bloody  shore 
Beheld  such  gallant  host  before, 

So  fit  for  daring  deeds  ; 
Here  was  th'  appointed  rendezvous — 
And  one  by  one,  and  two  by  two, 
Brave  spirits,  they  came  rushing  in : 
And  when  they  saw  what  strife  had  been, 
And  stood  where  white  men's  precious  blood 
Had  flow'd,  and  stain'd  that  gentle  flood, 
Each  took  that  oath  of  vengeance  dread 
Late  utter'd  on  the  Indian's  head." 

AFTER  the  victory  just  described,  the  Americans  were 
masters  of  Lake  Erie,  but  Detroit  and  Maiden  were  in  pos 
session  of  the  British  general,  Proctor.  Against  these,  Gene 
ral  Harrison,  commander  of  the  North-Western  army,  now 
resolved  to  direct  his  forces. 

Colonel  Johnson,  with  a  body  of  Kentuckians,  was  de 
spatched  against  Detroit.  General  Harrison  with  his  troops 
repaired  on  board  the  fleet,  and  the  same  day  reached  Mai 
den.  The  British  general,  howrever,  destroyed  Maiden,  and 
retired  with  his  forces. 

Finding  Maiden  destroyed,  Harrison  next  determined  to 
proceed  in  pursuit  of  Proctor.  On  the  2d  of  October,  with 
about  two  thousand  five  hundred  men,  selected  for  the  pur 
pose,  he  commenced  a  rapid  march,  and,  on  the  5th,  reached 
the  place  where  the  enemy  had  encamped  the  night  before. 
Colonel  Johnson,  who  had  joined  General  Harrison,  was  sent 
forward  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy,  and  soon  returned  with 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  565 


the  information  that  they  had  made  a  stand  a  few  miles  dis 
tant,  and  were  ready  for  action. 

The  American  troops  were  now  formed  in  order  of  battle. 
The  armies  engaged,  and,  for  a  time,  the  strife  raged  with 
fury.  Providence,  however,  gave  to  the  Americans  a  deci 
sive  victory,  and  Detroit  fell  into  their  hands. 

In  this  engagement,  the  loss  of  the  British  was  nineteen 
regulars  killed,  fifty  wounded,  and  about  six  hundred  prison 
ers.  The  Indians  left  one  hundred  and  twenty  on  the  field. 
The  loss  of  the  Americans  did  not  exceed  fifty. 

In  this  battle  were  engaged  one  thousand  two  hundred  or 
one  thousand  five  hundred  Indians,  led  on  by  Tecumseh,  a 
savage  warrior,  than  whom  the  annals  of  history  can  scarcely 
boast  a  greater.  Since  the  defeat  of  Harmer  he  had  been  in 
almost  every  engagement  with  the  whites.  On  the  opening 
of  the  late  war,  he  visited  various  tribes,  and,  by  his  elo 
quence  and  influence,  roused  his  countrymen  to  arms  against 
the  United  States. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  we  would  give  the  following  ex 
cellent  description  of  this  battle,  setting  forth  the  extraordi 
nary  heroism  of  Colonel  Johnson  in  its  true  light,  while  the 
reader  gets  a  very  clear  idea  of  the  whole  operations : 

"  The  number  of  British  regulars  under  General  Proctor 
could  not  then  be  ascertained,  nor  the  number  of  Indians  who 
acted  with  them ;  but  it  was  evident  that  the  American  force, 
under  General  Harrison  and  Governor  Shelby,  consisting  of 
part  of  a  regiment  of  regulars,  and  principally  of  Kentucky 
volunteer  militia,  was  greater  than  that  of  the  enemy.  The 
British  and  Indians,  however,  were  retreating  into  their  own 
country,  where  their  numbers  were  continually  augmenting; 
and  without  the  aid  of  mounted  men  it  was  impossible  to 
bring  them  to  battle.  To  effect  this  object,  Colonel  Johnson, 
with  his  reconnoitring  party,  pressed  continually  upon  them, 
till  they  were  forced  to  make  a  stand.  From  a  videt,  whom 
he  made  a  prisoner  at  that  fortunate  moment,  and  whom  he 
accused  of  being  a  spy,  but  promised  to  save  on  the  condi 
tion  of  his  giving  a  faithful  account  of  the  numbers  and  posi 
tion  of  the  enemy,  he  learned  that  the  British  regulars,  be- 


566  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


tween  seven  and  eight  hundred  in  number,  were  drawn  up  in 
a  line  from  the  river  Thames  on  their  left  to  a  narrow  swamp, 
impassable  except  at  particular  points,  running  parallel  with 
the  river  at  a  distance  of  nearly  a  hundred  yards  from  its 
margin;  that,  on  the  right  of  the  regulars,  west  of  this 
swamp,  were  lying  in  ambush  about  fifteen  hundred  Indians, 
under  the  command  of  that  celebrated  Indian  warrior,  Gene 
ral  Tecumseh.  Thus,  advantageously  posted,  it  appeared 
evidently  the  design  of  the  enemy,  if  the  mounted  regiment 
should  attack  and  force  them  to  retreat,  for  the  Indians  to 
fall  upon  their  rear  and  cut  them  off  from  the  main  army, 
which  was  three  or  four  miles  back.  Colonel  Johnson  lost  no 
time  in  communicating  to  General  Harrison  the  information 
he  had  thus  obtained.  The  General,  confiding  in  the  valour 
of  the  mounted  regiment  to  sustain  the  combat  till  the  whole 
army  could  be  brought  up,  gave  immediate  orders  for  the 
regiment  to  divide,  and  at  the  same  moment  charge  the  regu 
lars  on  horseback,  and  the  Indians  in  their  own  manner  of 
warfare.  Never  was  an  order  more  wisely  given,  or  more 
perfectly  executed.  Satisfied,  from  the  many  trials  which 
had  been  made  in  the  training  of  the  regiment  to  this  kind  of 
exercise,  they  would  succeed  in  this  novel  method  of  charg 
ing,  and  believing  that  no  other  expedient  would  be  effectual 
to  prevent  a  retreat  before  the  whole  force  could  be  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  enemy,  and  at  the  same  time  defeat  his  ob 
ject  of  bringing  the  Indians  upon  their  rear,  the  order  for  a 
simultaneous  attack,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  was  exe 
cuted,  reflects  immortal  honour  upon  the  general. 

(i  In  obedience  to  this  order,  Colonel  Johnson  divided  his 
regiment.  Finding  a  point  at  which  he  could  pass  the  swamp, 
he,  with  one-half,  moved  on  to  attack  the  Indians,  leaving  his 
brother,  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  Johnson,  with  the  other 
half,  to  lead  the  charge  against  the  regulars ;  and,  that  both 
might  be  simultaneous,  the  sound  of  a  trumpet  was  to  an 
nounce  to  the  lieutenant-colonel  the  moment  when  the  colonel 
was  ready  for  the  conflict.  The  battalion  under  the  lieute 
nant-colonel  moved  regularly  on  till  within  about  a  hundred 
yards'  distance  of  General  Proctor's  regulars,  where  they 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR,  56? 


waited  the  signal  for  attack.  To  draw  from  the  enemy  their 
fire.  Major  Suggett,  at  the  head  of  about  a  hundred  men,  dis 
mounted  and  advanced  within  about  forty  yards  of  the  enemy, 
giving  orders  that  when  the  trumpet  from  beyond  the  swamp 
should  sound,  each  man  should  deliberately  present  and  fire 
at  the  enemy.  This  order  was  strictly  obeyed,  and  the  fire 
was  most  effectual.  It  drew  from  the  enemy  a  hasty  fire, 
which  proved  perfectly  harmless.  The  charge  was  instanta 
neously  made  by  the  mounted  battalion,  moving  in  full  speed- 
and  with  a  universal  shout,  which  carried  consternation  and  |* 
dismay  through  all  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  breaking  through 
his  line,  and  proving  very  destructive  upon  his  rear.  General 
Proctor,  and  a  few  dragoons,  made  their  escape  by  flight,  and 
all  the  remainder  of  his  army  surrendered.  This  was  effected 
with  a  force  far  inferior,  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man. 
The  charge  was  led  by  the  intrepid,  the  persevering  Lieute 
nant-Colonel  James  Johnson,  whom  no  dangers  could  dismay, 
no  obstacles  discourage ,;  and  the  men  whom  he  commanded 
were  worthy  of  such  a  leader. 

"  The  task  of  Colonel  Richard  M.  Johnson  was  still  more 
hazardous :  for  he  had  Tecumseh  for  his  combatant,  with  a 
force  three  times  more  numerous  than  his  own.  As  he  ad 
vanced  against  the  Indians,  who,  according  to  their  custom, 
were  concealed  from  view  by  lying  in  the  grass  and  bushes, 
and  behind  trees,  he  selected  twenty  men,  with  whom  he  ad 
vanced  a  few  rods  in  front  of  the  main  body,  to  bring  on  the 
battle  without  exposing  the  whole  to  the  first  fire  of  the  In 
dians.  While  thus  advancing,  they  received  the  fire  of  their 
savage  enemies,  and  nineteen  of  the  twenty  fell,  leaving  but 
one  man  of  that  number,  besides  the  colonel,  to  pursue  the 
charge.  This  shot  brought  the  Indians  from  their  ambush. 
He  immediately  ordered  his  men  to  dismount  and  advance  to 
combat.  The  order  was  promptly  obeyed  ;  the  colonel  only 
remained  mounted.  A  dreadful  conflict  ensued.  In  the  midst 
of  this  scene  of  slaughter,  the  colonel,  still  moving  forward 
into  the  midst  of  the  Indians,  observed  one  who  was  evidently 
a  commander  of  no  common  order.  His  gallantry  was  unri 
valled,  and  his  presence  inspired  a  confidence  among  his  fol- 


568  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


lowers,  equal  to  what  might  have  been  expected  from  an 
Alexander.  He  was  a  rallying  point  for  the  Indians,  and 
where  he  stood  they  were  impregnable.  Colonel  Johnson  did 
not  know  the  man ;  but  observing  his  intrepidity,  and  the 
effect  which  his  example  had  upon  the  others,  and  knowing 
the  great  superiority  of  their  numbers,  he  considered  it  ne 
cessary  to  despatch  him  in  order  to  secure  the  victory.  The 
colonel  had  already  received  four  wounds,  and  was  greatly 
weakened  by  the  loss  of  blood.  His  horse  also  had  been  so 
wounded  as  to  be  unable  to  move  faster  than  a  walk.  He 
could  not  approach  the  chief  in  a  right  line,  on  account  of  the 
trunk  of  a  very  large  tree  which  was  lying  before  him.  He 
therefore  rode  round  the  head  of  the  tree,  which  was  at  his 
right,  and  turning  his  horse  directly  towards  the  chief,  ad 
vanced  upon  him.  At  the  distance  of  a  few  yards,  the  colo 
nel's  horse  stumbled,  but,  providentially,  did  not  entirely  fall. 
This  gave  the  Indian  the  first  notice  of  his  approach ;  who 
instantly  levelled  his  rifle  at  the  colonel,  and  gave  him  an 
other  wound,  the  severest  which  he  received  in  the  battle. 
He  did  not  however  fall,  but  continued  his  movement  towards 
the  Indian,  till  he  came  so  near  that  the  Indian  was  raising  a 
tomahawk  to  strike  him  down.  The  colonel  had  a  pistol  in 
his  right  hand,  charged  with  a  ball  and  three  buckshot,  which 
he  had  held  against  his  thigh,  so  that  the  Indian  had  not  dis 
covered  it.  This  chief  was  arrayed  in  the  habiliments  of 
war,  clad  in  the  richest  savage  attire,  and  his  face  painted 
with  alternate  circular  lines  of  black  and  red  from  the  eye 
downward,  which  increased  the  natural  ferocity  of  his  savage 
countenance,  and,  apparently  indifferent  to  every  danger 
which  awaited  him,  seemed  confident  of  his  victim ;  and,  as 
he  raised  his  tomahawk,  with  a  fierce  look  of  malicious  plea 
sure, 

'  Grinn'd  horribly  a  ghastly  smile.' 

At  this  moment,  the  colonel  raised  his  pistol,  and  discharging 
its  contents  into  the  breast  of  the  Indian  chief,  laid  him  dead 
upon  the  spot.  The  Indians  near  him,  filled  with  consterna 
tion  on  seeing  their  commander  fall,  raised  a  horrid  yell  and 
instantly  fled.  The  colonel,  covered  with  wounds,  twenty- 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  569 


five  balls  having  been  shot  into  him,  his  clothes  and  his  horse, 
was  unable  any  longer  to  act,  but  was  taken  from  the  battle 
ground  faint  and  almost  lifeless. 

4  Let  the  heart  of  his  country  cherish 

His  high  and  well-earn'd  fame, 
Till  a  glory  that  cannot  perish 

Be  gather'd  around  his  name.' 

"  The  battle  at  that  point  was  ended,  except  in  pursuing 
the  retreating  foe ;  though  in  other  parts  of  the  line  it  conti 
nued  a  considerable  time,  till  the  main  body  of  the  army  drew 
so  near  as  to  send  a  reinforcement  to  the  left  wing  of  the  bat 
talion,  when  the  retreat  of  the  Indians  became  universal. 

u  This  was  one  of  the  most  glorious  victories  of  the  war. 
The  battalion  under  Colonel  Johnson  consisted  of  about  five 
hundred  men ;  the  number  of  the  savages  was  not  less  than 
fifteen  hundred.  The  Indians  chose  their  own  manner  ol 
fighting ;  and  it  was  in  close  contest,  each  man  being  stained 
with  the  blood  of  his  victim  by  means  of  their  nearness.  The 
number  of  killed  and  wounded  of  Johnson's  battalion  was 
about  fifty.  That  of  the  Indians  could  not  be  ascertained,  as 
they  are  in  the  habit  of  carrying  off  as  many  of  their  deac 
as  possible.  Eighty  were  found  lying  upon  the  field,  besides 
many  others  slain  in  the  pursuit,  and  borne  away  by  those 
who  escaped. 

"  The  effects  of  this  victory  were  also  as  salutary  as  its 
achievement  was  glorious.  It  put  a  complete  period  to  the 
war  upon  the  north-western  frontier,  and  ended  the  crue 
murders  that  had  been  so  frequently  perpetrated  in  those 
regions,  in  which  female  tenderness  and  helpless  infancy  hac 
been  the  common  victims  of  savage  barbarity. 

"  No  sooner  had  the  battle  ended,  than  it  was  discoverec 
by  those  of  the  regiment  wno  were  viewing  the  scene  of  hor 
ror  which  the  battle-ground  presented,  that  the  Indian  whonr 
the  colonel  had  slain  was,  in  all  probability,  the  celebrated 
Tecumseh ;  and  before  the  colonel  had  so  far  revived  as  to  be 
able  to  speak,  the  tidings  ran  through  the  camp,  that  he  ha< 
killed  Tecumseh.  This  was  for  some  time  undisputed ;  bu 
whether  envy  or  honest  doubt  led  to  a  denial  of  the  fact,  is 

"72  2x* 


570  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813- 

neither  certain  nor  important,  yet  it  afterwards  became  a 
subject  of  dispute  whether  it  was  Tecumseh  that  he  slew. 
Some  of  the  circumstances  which  confirm  the  fact,  shall  here 
be  noted.  It  is  known  that  Tecumseh  was  killed  in  this  bat 
tle,  and  that  the  person  whom  Colonel  Johnson  killed  was  a 
chief  warrior.  It  is  also  known  that  but  one  other  chief  was 
killed,  in  any  way  answering  to  the  description  given  of  this 
person,  and  that  he,  a  brother-in-law  to  Tecumseh,  was  killed 
in  another  part  of  the  battle.  Several  persons  who  were  in 
the  battle,  and  who  were  perfectly  indifferent  to  the  hand  by 
which  he  fell,  have  averred  to  the  writer  of  this,  that  Tecum 
seh  was  found  dead  upon  the  very  spot  where  Colonel  John 
son  killed  this  chief;  and  that  a  medal  was  taken  from  that 
body,  which  was  known  to  have  been  presented  to  Tecumseh 
by  the  British  government.  Anthony  Shane,  a  celebrated 
Indian  warrior,  who  is  partially  civilized,  is  a  man  of  high 
character  for  honour  and  integrity,  and  has  been  the  uniform 
friend  of  the  United  States ;  he  was  at  the  Thames  at  the 
time  of  battle,  and  had  been  intimately  acquainted  with  Te 
cumseh  from  early  childhood.  The  writer  of  this  inquired  of 
Shane,  what  he  knew  of  the  death  of  Tecumseh.  He  an 
swered,  that  immediately  after  the  battle  of  the  Thames  was 
ended,  he  went  to  the  spot  where  several  of  the  men  had  seen 
Colonel  Johnson  kill  an  Indian  commander,  and  there  he  saw 
Tecumseh  lie  dead  upon  the  ground ;  that  he  examined  his 
body,  and  observed  that  he  must  have  been  killed  by  a  per 
son  on  horseback,  for  a  ball  and  three  buckshot  were  shot 
into  his  breast,  and  the  ball  passed  through  his  body  and 
came  out  at  the  lower  part  of  his  back.  While  looking  at 
the  body,  he  was  asked  if  he  was  certain  it  was  Tecumseh. 
Shane  told  them  he  was  certain,  for  he  had  known  him  from 
childhood,  and  that  if  the\  would  examine  his  thigh  they 
would  discover  a  remarkable  scar,  occasioned  by  the  misfor 
tune  of  Tecumseh  having  his  thigh  broken  many  years  be 
fore  ;  that,  on  examining,  they  found  the  scar  as  he  had  de 
scribed.  Shane  knew  this  person  to  be  Tecumseh,  and  his 
body  was  found  where  Colonel  Johnson  had  killed  an  Indian 
commander.  He  was  killed  by  a  person  on  horseback ;  and 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  571 


Colonel  Johnson  was  the  only  person  in  that  part  of  the  battle 
who  fought  on  horseback.  He  was  shot  with  a  ball  and  three 
buckshot ;  and  the  pistol  with  which  Colonel  Johnson  shot 
the  Indian  chief  was  charged  with  a  ball  and  three  buckshot. 
These  circumstances  establish  the  fact  beyond  all  reasonable 
doubt,  and  as  conclusively  as  any  historical  fact  can  be  estab 
lished,  that  Colonel  Johnson,  in  this  chivalrous  act,  slew  Te- 
cumseh,  and  delivered  his  country  from  the  most  courageous, 
the  most  hostile,  the  most  skilful,  and  the  most  terrific  savage 
foe  that  America  ever  had.  His  enmity  was  like  that  of 
Hannibal  to  the  Romans,  and  his  arm  not  less  powerful ;  but 
before  the  unconquerable  spirit  of  Johnson  he  fell,  and  terror 
fled  from  the  habitations  of  the  frontiers." 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

General  Cass  stationed  at  Detroit — General  Harrison  makes  Preparations  to 
proceed  in  the  War,  but  is  badly  treated  by  the  Government — Resigns  his  Com 
mission — An  ill-contrived  Expedition — Invasion  of  Canada — Battle  of  Chippewa. 

44  Ducit  amor  patrise." 

THE  fall  of  Detroit  having  put  an  end  to  the  Indian  war  in 
that  quarter  and  given  security  to  the  frontiers,  General  Har 
rison  discharged  the  greater  part  of  his  volunteers,  stationed 
General  Cass  at  Detroit,  with  about  1000  men,  and  being 
without  orders  from  the  War  Department,  he  resolved  to  pro 
ceed  to  the  Ontario  frontier  in  the  fleet.  Accordingly,  on  the 
22d  of  October,  he  sailed  from  Erie  with  M'Arthur's  brigade 
and  a  battalion  of  riflemen,  and  arrived  at  Buffalo  on  the 
24th.  From  this  place,  he  marched  to  Newark,  where  he 
received  orders  from  the  War  Department  to  send  the  bri 
gade  to  Sackett's  Harbour,  and  was  informed  that  he  had 
permission  to  return  to  his  family.  This  intimation,  the 
meaning  of  which  it  was  not  difficult  to  understand,  was 
complied  with,  and  he  soon  afterwards  resigned  his  commis 
sion. 


572  THE    ARMY    AISD    NAVY.  [1813. 


Before  we  leave  this  quarter,  it  is  proper  to  advert  to  an 
event  which  took  place  at  a  somewhat  later  period.  The  fort 
of  Mackinaw  was  now  the  only  one  remaining  of  the  British 
conquests  in  the  west.  In  the  spring  of  1814,  an  effort  was 
made  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Croghan,  jointly  with  Commo 
dore  Sinclair,  who  commanded  the  flotilla  on  lake  Erie,  to 
obtain  possession  of  it.  A  landing  was  effected  on  the  island, 
but  the  strength  of  the  place  was  found  to  be  so  great,  that 
the  troops  were  re-embarked,  with  the  loss  of  Major  Holmes, 
several  other  officers,  and  about  sixty  men.  Two  of  the 
American  schooners  were  subsequently  captured  by  boarding, 
with  great  slaughter. 

While,  on  the  north-western  frontier,  the  disgrace  of  former 
campaigns  had  been  repaid  by  an  ample  harvest  of  victory, 
the  American  people  were  doomed  to  experience  fresh  disap 
pointment  and  mortification  in  another  quarter,  from  the  want 
of  judgment  in  the  administration,  or  of  energy  in  the  com 
manding  officers.  The  retirement  of  Generals  Dearborn  and 
Lewis,  had  left  the  command  of  the  army  at  fort  George  in 
the  hands  of  General  Boyd,  who  was  restricted  by  the  go 
vernment  from  engaging  in  offensive  operations,  as  it  was 
intended  to  intrust  the  command  to  other  officers.  Generals 
Wilkinson  and  Hampton  were  called  from  the  southern  sec 
tion  of  the  United  States  for  this  purpose.  To  the  former 
was  given  the  command  of  the  forces  on  the  shores  of  the 
Ontario,  while  the  latter  was  assigned  to  the  northern  army, 
then  encamped  at  Plattsburg.  The  public  voice  called  for 
some  more  decided  and  energetic  measures  than  had  as  yet 
been  taken.  The  strength  and  spirits  of  the  army  had  been 
wasted  in  a  succession  of  petty  attacks  upon  unimportant 
places,  while  the  two  great  posts  of  Kingston  and  Montreal 
remained  secure  and  unthreatened. 

It  was  now  determined  by  the  administration,  that  one  or 
both  of  these  should  be  assailed  by  the  respectable  force 
which,  towards  the  month  of  August,  had  been  assembled ; 
and,  for  the  purpose  of  maturing  the  plan  and  superintending 
its  execution,  the  Secretary  of  War,  General  Armstrong,  pro 
ceeded  to  Sackett's  Harbour.  After  considerable  delibera- 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  573 

tion,  the  arrangements  of  the  campaign  were  finally  agreed 
upon.  It  was  determined  that  the  army  should  fall  down  the 
St.  Lawrence  in  boats ;  that  it  should  be  joined  by  the  force 
under  General  Hampton  at  the  most  convenient  point  of  junc 
tion,  and  should  thence  proceed  to  attack  Montreal,  which, 
I  at  this  period,  was  supposed  to  be  defended  by  a  small  force. 
General  Wilkinson,  who  arrived  at  Sackett's  Harbour  on  the 
20th  of  August,  had  been,  for  some  time  after  that  period, 
diligently  employed  in  collecting  and  organizing  the  scattered 
detachments  of  the  army,  which  were  gradually  concentrated 
on  Grenadier  Island,  near  the  head  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  Al 
though  the  advanced  state  of  the  season  rendered  it  necessary 
that  the  greatest  expedition  should  be  used,  yet  the  difficulties 
attending  this  measure  were  so  numerous,  that  it  was  not 
until  the  23d  of  October  that  a  sufficient  force  could  be  as 
sembled.  The  army  thus  collected,  consisted  of  about  7000 
men.  The  strength  of  the  enemy  at  Kingston,  was  estimated 
at  about  4000.  To  favour  the  idea  of  an  attack  being  in 
tended  on  this  place,  a  post  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  contiguous 
to  it,  was  fixed  on  for  the  rendezvous  of  the  army,  to  wrhich 
the  advance,  under  General  Brown,  was  despatched.  On  the 
3d  of  November,  the  rear,  with  the  commanding  general, 
arrived  at  this  spot,  and  everything  being  in  readiness,  the 
whole  flotilla  got  under  way,  and  proceeded  down  the  river 
on  the  5th. 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  a  passage  down  the  St.  Law 
rence  was  not  to  be  effected  without  difficulty.  At  every 
narrow  pass,  artillery  and  musketeers  were  stationed  ;  and 
the  enemy,  relieved  of  apprehension  on  the  score  of  Kingston, 
had  despatched  a  force  of  1500  men,  and  a  squadron  of  armed 
vessels,  to  hang  upon  the  rear.  It  became  necessary,  there 
fore,  that  a  party  should  be  landed  to  remove  the  obstructions 
in  front ;  for  which  purpose,  Colonel  Macomb  was  detached 
with  about  1200  men,  and  was  subsequently  reinforced  by 
General  Brown's  brigade,  while  the  brigade  under  General 
Boyd  acted  as  a  rear-guard.  After  surmounting  various  ob 
stacles,  the  flotilla  arrived,  on  the  10th,  in  the  vicinity  of  a 
large  and  dangerous  rapid.  Here,  an  attack  was  made  on 


574  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1813. 

the  rear  of  the  flotilla,  by  the  enemy's  gun-boats,  who  were 
not  driven  back  until  a  battery  of  eighteen-pounders  was 
erected.  On  the  llth,  information  was  received  from  General 
Brown,  that  he  had  repulsed  the  force  opposed  to  him,  and 
had  taken  a  position  at  the  foot  of  the  rapid.  It  was  deter 
mined,  therefore,  to  attempt  the  passage,  when  information 
was  received  from  General  Boyd,  that  the  British  were  ad 
vancing  in  column  to  assail  him.  He  was  immediately  di 
rected  to  anticipate  the  attack,  by  moving  against  the  enemy 
with  his  whole  force.  The  latter  was  advantageously  posted 
behind  the  deep  ravines  which  intersected  the  plain.  The 
attack  was  commenced  by  driving  back  a  strong  party  of  the 
British,  posted  in  the  wood.  General  Covington  then  ad 
vanced  on  the  right  of  the  enemy,  with  his  brigade,  while 
Colonel  Ripley  assailed  his  left  flank,  with  the  21st  regiment, 
after  having  routed  with  the  bayonet  a  superior  number  op 
posed  to  him.  The  attack  on  the  enemy's  right  was  not 
attended  with  success.  The  fall  of  General  Covington,  who 
was  killed  while  bravely  leading  his  brigade  to  the  charge, 
and  the  want  of  ammunition,  caused  that  part  of  the  Ameri 
cans  to  retire.  In  its  retreat,  a  piece  of  artillery  was  cap 
tured  by  the  enemy,  in  consequence  of  the  difficulty  of  the 
ground.  At  length,  after  a  contest  of  two  hours,  the  Ameri 
cans  retired  and  re-occupied  the  ground  from  which  they  had 
originally  driven  the  enemy,  while  the  latter  fell  back  to  their 
camp.  The  infantry  were  soon  afterwards  embarked  on 
board  the  flotilla,  and  the  dragoons  and  light  artillery  pro 
ceeded  by  land  to  the  foot  of  the  rapid. 

The  numbers  engaged  in  this  action,  have  been  variously 
represented.  From  the  British  official  accounts,  it  would 
appear  that  their  own  force  did  not  exceed  800,  while  that  of 
their  adversaries  is  stated  at  4000.  This  palpable  exaggera 
tion  is  of  a  nature  to  throw  discredit  upon  their  whole  report. 
It  is  known  that  the  force  of  General  Boyd  did  not  exceed 
1700  men,  and  it  is  probable  the  numbers  of  the  enemy  were 
not  inferior.  Both  parties  claimed  a  victory.  The  American 
commander  contended  that  the  object  of  his  attack  had  been 
gained  in  the  repulse  of  the  enemy,  and  the  occupation  of  the 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  575  ij 

ground  previously  possessed  by  him.  The  British,  on  the 
other  hand,  maintained  that  the  capture  of  a  piece  of  artil 
lery,  and  the  retreat  of  the  Americans  to  their  boats,  left  all 
the  advantage  on  their  side.  It  must  be  acknowledged  that 
the  advantages,  if  any,  gained  by  the  Americans,  were  not 
sufficient  to  compensate  for  the  loss  of  men  which  they  sus 
tained  ;  102  were  killed,  including  General  Covington,  and 
237  wounded.  The  enemy,  according  to  their  official  report, 
lost  22  killed,  147  wounded,  and  12  missing;  they  claimed 
also  to  have  captured  100  prisoners. 

On  the  succeeding  day,  the  flotilla  got  under  way,  and, 
having  passed  the  rapid  without  loss,  arrived  near  St.  Regis, 
where  the  advance,  under  General  Brown,  was  found.  Here 
it  was  that  General  Wilkinson  expected  to  meet  the  army  of 
General  Hampton,  in  conformity  with  orders  despatched  on 
the  6th  from  Prescott.  Instead  of  these  troops,  a  messenger 
was  found  from  the  latter  officer,  conveying  information  that 
in  consequence  of  the-  state  of  the  roads  and  the  scantiness 
of  provisions,  he  was  unable  to  undertake  the  contemplated 
movement.  A  council  of  war  was  then  called  by  General 
Wilkinson,  composed  of  the  chief  officers  of  the  army,  who 
gave  it  as  their  unanimous  opinion,  that  it  would  be  unad- 
visable  to  make  an  attempt  on  Montreal,  at  that  advanced 
period  of  the  season.  The  Canadian  territory  was  accord 
ingly  evacuated,  and  the  troops  went  into  winter-quarters  at 
French  Mills,  near  to  St.  Regis.  Thus  terminated  this  ill- 
contrived  and  disastrous  expedition.  Great  expectations  had 
been  formed  by  the  American  people,  but  it  was  perhaps  for 
tunate  that  it  terminated  at  St.  Regis.  The  enemy  had  taken 
every  precautionary  measure  of  defence ;  the  river  was  of 
difficult  navigation,  the  season  was  very  far  advanced,  the 
indisposition  of  General  Wilkinson  prevented  his  directing 
the  operations  in  person,  and  the  stock  of  provisions  was 
found  to  be  insufficient  for  any  considerable  period.  Under 
these  circumstances,  had  the  army  been  reinforced  by  the  junc 
tion  of  that  of  General  Hampton,  and  had  it  even  obtained 
possession  of  Montreal,  it  is  highly  probable  that  a  fate  similar 
to  that  of  the  French  in  Russia  would  have  befallen  it. 


576  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


The  strength  of  the  northern  army,  under  General  Hamp 
ton,  was  about  4000  men,  all  regulars,  by  whom  it  was  in 
tended,  as  we  have  seen,  that  a  junction  should  be  made  with 
the  troops   from   Sackett's  Harbour.     Accordingly,  in   the 
month  of  September,  General  Hampton  moved  from  Platts- 
burg  towards  the  Canadian  frontier,  which  he  crossed  on  the 
21st  of  October.     The  route  of  the  army,  which  had  been 
obstructed  in  every  possible  way  by  the  enemy,  lay  along 
the  left  bank  of  the  Chateauguay  river,  by  which  it  advanced 
with  great  difficulty  until  the  25th,  when,  it  being  ascertained 
that  the  enemy,  under  Sir  George  Prevost,  was  in  consider 
able  force  behind  a  wood  which  separated  the  army  from  the 
open  country,  General  Hampton  determined  upon  endeavour 
ing  to  cut  them  off.     Colonel  Purdy  was,  therefore,  detached 
to  the  right  bank  with  the  first  brigade,  that  he  might  gain 
the  rear  of  the  enemy,  by  a  ford  about  twelve  miles  below, 
while  their  attention  was  engaged  by  the  second  brigade  in 
front.     Unfortunately,  from  the  darkness  of  the  night  and 
the  ignorance  of  the  guides,  the  first  part  of  the  plan  entirely 
failed.     The  second  brigade  advanced  on  the  26th,  and  soon 
afterwards  learned  that  the  enemy  was  posted  behind  a  ravine, 
at  the  distance  of  two  miles.     The  10th  regiment,  consisting 
of  237  men,  from  the  report  of  that  day,  was  moved  forward, 
and,  after  a  march  of  half  an  hour,  fell  in  with  a  body  of  the 
enemy,  which  they  soon  routed  and  drove  from  the  ground. 
The  rest  of  the  brigade  did  not  appear  until  after  the  termi 
nation  of  the  action,  and  to  the  great  regret  of  the  army,  the 
first  brigade  was  about  that  time  perceived  on  the  opposite 
bank,  it  having  been  unable  to  advance  further,  from  the 
causes  we  have  stated.     On  the  same  day,  the  whole  force 
I  retired,  about  two  miles,  to  the  spot  where  the  baggage  had 
I  been  halted,  without  molestation  from  the  enemy,  who  were 
j  secured  behind  entrenchments  and  abattis.     At  this  place, 
the  army  remained  until  the  28th,  when  intelligence  having 
been  received,  which  led  to  the  conclusion  that  General  Wil 
kinson  had  abandoned  his  descent  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  a 
council  of  war  was  called,  by  which  it  was  unanimously  de 
cided  to  retire  to  such  a  position  as  would  secure  its  commu- 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  577 

nication  with  the  United  States.  The  troops  were  accord- 
ngly  put  in  motion,  and  on  the  2d  of  November,  reached 
their  former  post,  at  the  Four  Corners,  within  the  territory 
of  the  United  States.  Here  General  Hampton  received  the 
despatch  from  General  Wilkinson,  directing  a  junction  of  his 
force  on  the  St.  Lawrence.  He  immediately  returned  an 
answer,  stating,  as  we  have  already  mentioned,  his  opinion  of 
the  impracticability  of  the  measure,  in  consequence  of  the 
want  of  provisions,  and  soon  afterwards  fell  back  to  Platts- 
burg,  where  the  troops  went  into  winter-quarters.  General 
Hampton  then  resigned  his  commission,  leaving  General  Izard 
in  command. 

The  two  divisions  of  the  northern  army  remained  in  win 
ter-quarters,  at  these  posts,  until  the  month  of  January,  when 
General  Wilkinson  received  orders  from  the  War  Department 
to  detach  General  Brown  with  2000  men  to  the  Niagara  fron 
tier,  and  to  fall  back  with  the  remainder  of  his  force  to  Platts- 
burg.  This  order  was  complied  with,  and  the  remaining 
force  being  concentrated  at  the  latter  place,  nothing  of  im 
portance  occurred  until  the  end  of  March,  when  General  Wil 
kinson,  hearing  that  the  enemy  had  collected  a  considerable 
force  near  the  lines,  resolved  to  dislodge  them.  He  accord 
ingly  moved  from  Plattsburg  on  the  30th  of  March,  with 
about  4000  men,  and  found  the  main  body  of  the  British 
posted  at  La  Cole  Mill,  a  strong  and  extensive  stone  building, 
which  had  been  fortified  for  the  purpose.  The  state  of  the 
roads  did  not  admit  of  the  heavy  ordnance  being  brought  up 
and  an  attempt  was  made  to  batter  the  walls  with  two  small 
pieces,  but  they  were  found  to  be  too  solid  to  be  shaken,  and 
after  repeated  endeavours,  the  American  commander  drew 
off  his  forces,  having  suffered  a  loss  of  100  men  in  killed  anc 
wounded.  He  subsequently  retired  to  Odletown,  and,  in  con 
sequence  of  the  discontent  excited  in  the  public  mind  by  the 
result  of  this  and  the  preceding  expedition,  he  was  removec 
from  the  command,  which  devolved  upon  General  Izard. 

We  return  now  to  the  Ontario  frontier,  which,  during  the 
close  of  the  year  1813,  was  visited  by  some  of  the  severes 
calamities  of  war.     After  the  departure  of  General  Wilkinson 

73  2v 


578  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 

on  his  ill-fated  expedition  to  Montreal,  the  command  of  fort 
George  devolved  upon  Brigadier-General  ]VFClure,of  the  New 
York  militia.  The  force  of  this  officer  having  been  reduced 
on  the  10th  of  December,  by  the  expiration  of  the  term  of 
service  of  the  militia,  to  about  100  men,  it  was  deemed  expe 
dient  to  abandon  the  place.  On  the  12th,  the  troops  were 
accordingly  removed,  having  previously  destroyed  the  fort 
and  public  property,  and,  it  is  painful  to  add,  the  flourishing 
village  of  Newark.  This  outrage  upon  humanity,  and  the 
laws  of  civilized  warfare,  perpetrated  at  an  inclement  season 
of  the  year,  and  without  any  sufficient  motive,  excited,  as  it 
deserved,  the  indignation  of  the  American  people.  It  was 
immediately  disavowed  by  the  government,  in  an  official  com 
munication  made  to  the  public  authorities  in  Canada;  but, 
before  the  disavowal  reached  the  latter,  a  severe  and  excessive 
measure  of  retaliation  had  been  taken.  On  the  19th,  at  mid 
night,  the  enemy  crossed  the  river  with  about  GOO  men,  sur 
prised  fort  Niagara,  and  massacred  nearly  the  whole  garrison, 
consisting  of  about  300  men,  chiefly  invalids.  From  fort  Nia 
gara,  they  proceeded  to  Lewistown,  and,  after  routing  a  con 
siderable  body  of  militia,  burned  that  village,  Manchester, 
Youngstow?i.  and  the  Indian  settlement  of  Tuscaroras.  On 
the  30i  iiie  same  month,  a  party  of  regulars,  militia,  and 
Indians,  in  number  about  700,  landed  at  Black  Rock  and  ad 
vanced  to  the  towrn  of  Buffalo,  to  defend  which  a  body  of 
about  2500  militia  was  stationed.  On  the  approach  of  the 
enemy,  however,  these  men  fled  without  firing  a  musket,  to 
their  lasting  disgrace,  and  the  unfortunate  village  was  soon 
taken,  and  immediately  reduced  to  ashes,  after  which,  the 
British  returned  to  Canada.  In  thus  devastating  a  whole 
frontier,  which,  but  a  little  while  before,  had  been  the  scene 
of  happiness  and  prosperity,  they  unquestionably  exceeded 
the  bounds  of  a  just  retaliation,  had  even  the  conduct  of 
General  M'Clure  received  the  sanction  of  the  American  go 
vernment.  In  this  case ;  in  the  employment  of  the  savages ; 
and,  indeed,  in  many  other  instances,  the  British  officers  ap 
pear  to  have  been  governed  by  a  vindictive  and  unrelenting 
spirit,  altogether  incompatible  with  the  relations  of  civilized 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  579 


states,  and  with  the  enlarged  and  liberal  principles  of  religion 
and  morality. 

The  naval  warfare  on  lake  Ontario,  although  not  marked 
by  the  same  brilliant  events  as  that  on  lake  Erie,  was  yet  not 
devoid  of  interest.  Each  party  had,  at  different  times,  a  nu 
merical  superiority  of  force,  and  as  the  one  government  in 
creased  the  number  and  force  of  its  vessels  in  exact  proportion 
to  the  other,  it  came  to  pass  that  before  the  conclusion  of  the 
war,  ships  of  the  largest  magnitude  in  naval  architecture 
floated  over  those  waters,  which,  till  then,  had  borne  only  the 
light  skiff  of  the  Indian,  or  the  slender  shallop  of  commerce. 
This  alternate  preponderance  of  force,  gave  occasion  to  the 
display  of  the  highest  skill  and  seamanship  by  the  two  com 
manders  ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  narrow  limits  of  the  lake, 
neither  party  was  able  to  boast  of  signal  success  over  the 
other.  In  the  month  of  August,  1813,  an  encounter  took 
place  between  the  two  squadrons,  which,  after  being  pro 
ductive  of  a  variety  of  manoeuvres,  terminated  in  the  capture 
of  two  of  the  smaller  American  vessels,  in  consequence  of  the 
superior  sailing  of  the  British  ships.  No  important  event 
occurred  subsequently  to  this  period,  until  the  beginning  of 
October.  Both  squadrons  were  then  on  the  lake,  but  the  pru 
dent  caution  of  the  British  commander,  whose  force  was  then 
inferior,  induced  him  to  avoid  a  general  action,  while  the 
efforts  of  Commodore  Chauncey  were  generally  crippled  by 
the  dull  sailing  of  his  small  vessels.  On  the  5th,  however, 
after  a  fruitless  chase  of  the  British  squadron,  he  succeeded 
in  capturing  four  transports,  on  board  of  which  were  about 
300  officers  and  privates  of  the  regular  army.  The  winter 
and  spring  of  1814,  were  occupied  chiefly  in  augmenting  the 
force  of  the  two  fleets.  At  the  commencement  of  the  season, 
the  superiority  was  on  the  side  of  the  enemy,  and,  as  a  frigate 
of  the  largest  size  was  then  building  at  Sackett's  Harbour, 
he  availed  himself  of  his  command  of  the  lake  to  destroy  as 
much  as  possible  the  American  means  of  warfare.  On  the 
5th  of  May,  an  attack  was  made  upon  Oswego,  a  small  vil 
lage  near  the  border  of  the  lake,  which  had  become  the  depo 
sit  of  a  considerable  quantity  of  naval  stores,  and  was  de- 


I  580  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1813. 


fended  by  a  fort,  containing  five  guns  and  about  300  men, 
under  Colonel  Mitchell.  The  enemy  made  an  attempt  to  land 
from  fifteen  boats,  but  so  heavy  a  fire  was  opened  upon  them 
from  the  fort,  that  they  were  compelled  to  retire.  On  the 
succeeding  day,  the  whole  fleet  having  taken  a  position  to 
cannonade  the  fort,  the  British  troops  succeeded  in  effecting 
a  landing,  advanced,  and  took  possession  of  the  village,  from 
which  the  naval  stores  had  principally  been  removed  through 
the  vigilance  of  Colonel  Mitchell.  Disappointed  in  their  ob 
ject,  the  British  retreated  on  the  7th,  with  the  loss  of  about 
100  men.  They  are  supposed  to  have  amounted  to  about 
1500,  and  were  under  the  command  of  General  Drummond. 
The  American  loss  was  about  70. 

The  launch  and  equipment  of  the  new  American  frigate, 
compelled  Sir  James  Yeo  to  withdraw  his  squadron  to  Kings 
ton,  leaving  a  number  of  gun-boats  on  the  lake.  The  oppor 
tunity  was  then  taken  by  the  American  officers,  to  remove 
the  stores  from  Oswego  to  Sackett's  Harbour  by  water.  Ac 
cordingly,  on  the  28th  of  May,  Captain  Woolsey,  of  the  navy, 
left  the  former  port  with  eighteen  boats,  accompanied  by 
Major  Appling,  with  about  130  of  the  rifle  regiment,  and  an 
equal  number  of  Indians.  Having  arrived  off"  Sandy  Creek, 
they  discovered  the  enemy's  gun-boats,  and,  in  consequence, 
entered  the  stream.  The  riflemen  and  Indians  were  landed, 
and  posted  in  an  ambuscade.  The  enemy,  as  was  expected, 
ascended  the  creek  and  landed  a  party,  w^hich  was  moving  up 
its  bank,  when  the  Americans  rose  from  their  ambush,  and 
opened  so  destructive  a  fire  upon  them,  that  in  ten  minutes 
they  surrendered,  to  the  number  of  about  200,  including  two 
post-captains  and  six  lieutenants.  With  these,  were  also  cap 
tured  three  gun-boats,  and  several  smaller  vessels.  Of  the 
Americans,  only  one  man  was  killed.  Shortly  after  this 
event,  Commodore  Chauncey,  having  completed  the  equipment 
of  his  new  frigate,  again  sailed  from  Sackett's  Harbour ;  but 
as  he  had  now  a  superiority  of  force,  the  British  commander 
did  not  think  proper  to  venture  an  engagement. 

The  campaign  on  the  borders  of  Lake  Ontario,  did  not 
commence  until  near  midsummer.  General  Brown  was  de- 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  581 

tached,  by  order  of  the  government,  from  the  northern  army 
to  Sackett's  Harbour,  with  about  2000  men.  After  his  arri 
val  at  the  latter  place,  he  remained  for  some  time  employed 
in  disciplining  and  organizing  troops,  until  he  received  direc 
tions  from  the  War  Department  to  move  to  Black  Rock  and 
Buffalo,  with  a  view  to  future  operations  in  the  peninsula. 
The  anny  at  Buffalo  amounted  to  between  3000  and  4000 
men,  and  was  composed  of  two  brigades  of  infantry,  under 
Generals  Scott  and  Ripley,  a  detachment  of  artillery,  and  a 
body  of  volunteers  from  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  under 
General  Porter.  On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  July,  this  well- 
appointed  and  gallant  force  landed  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Brit 
ish  fort  of  Erie,  opposite  to  Black  Rock.  Preparations  were 
immediately  made  for  an  assault,  but  before  the  artillery  could 
be  planted  it  surrendered,  and  the  garrison,  to  the  number  of 
137,  were  made  prisoners  of  war. 

Having  placed  a  small  garrison  in  fort  Erie,  General  Brown 
advanced,  on  the  succeeding  day,  to  within  two  miles  of  Chip- 
pewa,  on  the  heights,  near  which  the  enemy's  troops,  to  the 
number  of  about  3000,  were  entrenched.  On  the  morning  of 
the  5th,  General  Porter  was  detached  with  the  volunteers  to 
drive  back  the  enemy's  skirmishers ;  and,  by  cutting  off  their 
retreat,  to  bring  on  a  general  engagement.  The  enemy  was 
not  slow  in  manifesting  a  disposition  to  meet  the  Americans. 
About  noon,  General  Riall,  who  commanded  the  British  forces, 
moved  out  of  his  works,  and  commenced  an  attack  upon  Ge 
neral  Porter's  command,  to  support  which,  the  first  brigade 
and  part  of  the  artillery  were  now  advanced,  and  took  post 
on  its  right.  The  determined  onset  of  the  British  regulars, 
soon  compelled  the  raw  troops  under  General  Porter  to  give 
way,  and  thus  exposed  the  flank  of  General  Scott's  brigade. 
To  prevent  the  enemy  from  profiting  by  this  advantage,  Ge-' 
neral  Brown  now  ordered  up  General  Ripley's  brigade,  with 
directions  to  skrrt  the  wood  on  the  left  of  the  line,  and  to 
gain,  if  possible,  the  rear  of  the  British  right.  After  a  severe 
struggle,  Major  Jessup,  with  the  left  flank  battalion  of  the 
first  brigade,  succeeded  in  reaching  a  position  from  which  he 
opened  so  galling  a  fire  as  to  compel  that  portion  of  their 


582  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


troops  to  retrograde ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  the  remainder 
of  the  brigade  continued  to  press  forward.  The  enemy  now, 
finding  his  efforts  ineffectual  on  every  point,  gradually  fell 
back  until  he  reached  the  sloping  ground  in  the  vicinity  of 
Chippewa,  where,  being  hard  pressed  by  the  victors,  his 
retreat  became  a  rapid  and  disorderly  flight.  The  further 
advance  of  the  American  troops  was  checked  by  the  enemy's 
batteries  ;  and  the  day  being  now  too  far  spent  for  an  assault, 
General  Brown  drew  off  his  forces  and  returned  to  camp. 

The  battle  of  Chippewa  was  undoubtedly  the  best  fought 
action  that  had  yet  occurred  in  the  progress  of  the  war.  The 
numbers  on  both  sides  were  nearly  equal ;  the  troops  engaged 
were  chiefly  of  the  regular  army,  and  the  field  was  won  by 
fair  and  open  fighting.  The  Americans  had  for  some  time 
been  earnestly  employed  in  perfecting  themselves  in  disci 
pline,  under  zealous  and  enlightened  officers,  who  were  anxious 
to  wipe  off  the  stigma  which  successive  defeats  had  attached 
to  the  American  arms.  The  British  troops,  on  the  other  hand, 
were  veterans,  and  many  of  them  had  recently  arrived,  flushed 
with  the  conquest  of  the  first  soldiers  of  Europe.  To  have 
beaten  them,  therefore,  by  dint  of  superior  skill  or  bravery, 
was  a  source  of  great  triumph  to  the  American  army,  and 
excited  unbounded  joy  in  the  republic.  The  loss  of  men  was 
nevertheless  unusually  great,  and  showed  the  obstinacy  with 
which  the  battle  had  been  contested.  The  official  report  of 
General  Brown,  stated  the  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  of 
the  American  army  at  328.  That  of  the  British  commander 
represented  his  whole  loss  to  have  amounted  to  499,  among 
whom  were  many  officers  of  rank. 

Soon  after  his  defeat,  General  Riall  abandoned  the  works 
at  Chippewa,  and  fell  back  to  Queenstown,  while  the  Ameri 
can  army  occupied  the  former  place,  and  no  operation  of  ma 
terial  importance  ensued  for  some  days.  On  the  25th,  how 
ever,  General  Brown  being  informed  that  an  attack  was  me 
ditated  by  the  enemy  upon  Schlosser,  a  place  on  the  American 
side  of  the  Niagara,  where  the  sick  and  baggage  of  the  army 
had  been  sent,  resolved  to  draw  him  off,  if  possible,  from  this 
attempt.  General  Scott  was  accordingly  despatched,  at  four 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  583 

in  the  afternoon,  with  his  own  brigade,  Towson's  artillery, 
and  the  dragoons.  After  proceeding  about  two  miles,  the 
enemy  was  found  posted  on  an  eminence,  with  the  Queens- 
town  road  in  their  front,  and  defended  by  a  battery  of  nine 
pieces  of  cannon.  A  narrow  strip  of  wood  intervened  be 
tween  the  two  armies.  After  despatching  an  express  for  rein 
forcements,  General  Scott  resolved  to  attack  the  enemy.  The 
action  was  commenced  by  Captain  Towson's  artillery,  and 
was  supported  for  an  hour  by  the  first  brigade  alone,  against 
the  greatly  superior  force  of  the  enemy.  The  right  of  the 
brigade  was  occupied  by  Major  Jessup,  with  the  25th  regi 
ment.  This  gallant  officer,  finding  the  road  which  led  to  the 
British  rear  unoccupied,  threw  himself  upon  it  with  impetuo 
sity,  and  succeeded  in  capturing  General  Rial!  and  many 
other  officers  and  men.  The  ranks  of  the  Americans  were, 
however,  rapidly  thinning  under  the  severe  fire  from  the  ene 
my's  batteries,  while  the  British  were  continually  receiving 
reinforcements.  The  day  was  nearly  spent  when  General  Rip- 
ley,  with  the  second  brigade,  arrived  at  a  critical  moment. 
He  was  directed  by  General  Brown  to  form  on  the  right  of 
the  first  brigade,  but  perceiving  that  by  this  step  he  should 
subject  himself  to  a  similar  fate,  he  .resolved  to  disobey  his 
orders,  to  place  himself  between  the  enemy  and  the  first  bri 
gade,  and  to  attack  the  heights  on  which  their  battery  was 
placed,  without  the  possession  of  which,  it  was  plain  the 
Americans  had  nothing  to  hope.  He  therefore  formed  the 
two  regiments  of  which  his  brigade  was  composed  in  front  of 
General  Scott's  line,  and,  leading  the  23d  in  person,  he  di 
rected  Colonel  Miller,  with  the  21st,  to  assault  the  enemy's 
battery.  The  order  was  executed  by  the  latter  with  the 
utmost  gallantry.  After  a  short  contest,  in  which  many  of 
the  artillerymen  were  bayoneted  at  their  pieces,  the  enemy's 
cannon  were  carried,  and  at  the  same  moment  General  Rip- 
ley,  with  the  23d,  drove  the  infantry  from  the  crest  of  the 
eminence.  The  British  troops  boing  thus  forced  from  their 
position,  the  American  line  was  formed  in  front  of  the  cap 
tured  artillery.  The  conflict  was.  however,  not  yet  over. 
The  enemy,  being  reinforced  by  a  large  body  of  fresh  troops, 


584  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 

brought  up  his  whole  force,  and  made  three  reso.ute  and  de 
termined  attacks  upon  the  Americans,  in  each  of  which,  after 
a  close  contest  of  bayonets,  he  was  repulsed  arid  driven  down 
the  hill.  It  was  midnight.  The  command  of  the  American 
army  had  devolved  upon  General  Ripley,  in  consequence  of 
the  wounds  of  Generals  Brown  and  Scott.  Previous  to  retir 
ing  from  the  field,  the  former  had  given  directions  to  General 
Ripley,  to  collect  the  wounded  and  return  to  camp.  These 
orders  were  now  obeyed,  but,  unfortunately,  from  the  circum 
stance  of  most  of  the  horses  being  killed,  it  was  found  impos 
sible  to  remove  the  captured  cannon.  They  were,  therefore, 
left  on  the  field,  having  been  previously  spiked. 

In  this  sanguinary  engagement,  the  superiority  of  numbers 
was  unquestionably  on  the  side  of  the  British ;  only  one-half 
of  the  American  army  was  engaged  at  one  time :  the  first 
brigade  having  been  put  almost  hors  du  combat,  before  the 
arrival  of  the  second.  The  enemy,  on  the  other  hand,  re 
ceived  continued  accessions  of  fresh  troops  after  the  com 
mencement  of  the  action.  The  palm  of  victory  was  claimed 
by  both  parties.  If  occupying  the  position  of  an  enemy, 
after  previously  driving  him  from  it,  obtaining  possession  of 
his  artillery,  and  retaining  it  in  opposition  to  his  repeated 
efforts  to  recover  it,  be  not  a  victory,  it  is  impossible  to 
say  to  what  actions  that  expression  can  be  applied.  The 
British  troops  had  been  withdrawn  from  the  field  before  the 
Americans  retired  to  their  camp,  and  every  appearance  of 
opposition  had  ended.  The  loss  of  men  was  great  on  both 
sides.  Of  the  British,  84  were  killed,  including  five  officers, 
559  wounded,  among  whom  were  Generals  Drummond  and 
Riall  and  39  other  officers,  and  235  missing,  of  whom  169 
were  taken  prisoners.  Of  the  Americans,  11  officers,  and 
160  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  were  killed,  54 
officers,  and  417  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates 
wounded,  and  8  officers,  and  109  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  missing. 

"  On  the  succeeding  morning.  General  Ripley,  in  conformity 
with  orders  from  General  Brown,  put  his  troops  in  motion  on 
the  Queenstown  road,  but  having  soon  afterwards  learned 


1813.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  585 

that  the  enemy  was  in  great  force,  at  no  considerable  distance, 
while  his  own  strength  did  not  exceed  1600  effectives,  he 
again  resolved  to  disobey  his  instructions.  He  therefore 
broke  up  the  camp  at  Chippewa,  and,  destroying  the  bridges 
in  his  rear,  retreated  to  fort  Erie,  the  defences  of  which  were 
immediately  repaired  and  strengthened.  The  enemy,  to  the 
number  of  about  5000  men,  followed  his  footsteps,  and  en 
camped  about  two  miles  from  fort  Erie,  to  which  they  now 
laid  a  regular  siege.  On  the  day  after  the  commencement  of 
the  siege,  General  Gaines  arrived  from  Sackett's  Harbour, 
and  took  the  command.  From  this  period  until  the  14th  of 
August,  a  heavy  cannonade  was  maintained  against  the  Ame 
rican  works,  and  the  approaches  of  the  besiegers  were  gra 
dually  drawn  nearer.  At  length,  at  two  in  the  morning  of 
the  15th,  the  British  troops  moved  to  the  assault  in  three 
columns.  The  right,  under  Colonel  Fisher,  advanced  to 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  American  left,  which  was  de 
fended  by  the  21st  regiment,  and  Towson's  artillery,  when  it 
was  received  with  so  destructive  a  fire,  that,  after  four  suc 
cessive  attempts  to  advance,  it  broke  and  fled.  The  left 
column,  under  Colonel  Scott,  was  received  by  the  9th  regi 
ment,  Captain  Douglas's  artillery,  and  two  companies  of  vo 
lunteers,  and  retreated  after  the  first  fire.  The  centre  column, 
led  by  Colonel  Drummond,  advanced  under  cover  of  a  ravine, 
without  loss,  to  the  wall,  against  which  they  placed  scaling- 
ladders,  and,  after  a  sanguinary  struggle,  established  them 
selves  for  a  short  time  on  the  bastion  ;  at  this  moment,  a  sud 
den  explosion  took  place  under  the  platform,  which  destroyed 
numbers  of  both  armies,  and  put  the  remainder  of  the  enemy 
to  flight.  The  remains  of  the  British  columns  then  retired 
to  the  camp.  The  loss  of  the  assailants  was  very  severe. 
Colonels  Scott  and  Drummond,  with  54  others,  were  killed, 
319  wounded,  and  439  missing,  most  of  whom  were  killed  or 
wounded.  The  American  loss  amounted  to  but  84  in  all. 

The  besieging  army  lay  comparatively  inactive  for  a  con 
siderable  period  after  this  repulse.     Fresh  troops  were  con 
stantly  arriving,  and  a  heavy  cannonade  was  continued  against 
the  fort.     The  fire  from  the  enemy's  batteries  proving  very 

74 


586  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1813. 


severe  and  destructive,  General  Brown,  who  had  resumed  the 
command,  resolved  on  a  sortie,  for  the  purpose  of  effecting 
their  destruction.  The  British  force  at  this  time  consisted  of 
three  brigades,  of  about  1500  men  each,  one  of  which  was 
alternately  stationed  at  the  batteries,  while  the  others  re 
mained  at  the  camp,  two  miles  distant.  At  noon,  on  the  17th 
of  September,  the  party  destined  for  this  enterprise  moved 
out  of  the  fort  in  two  divisions.  The  left,  under  General 
Porter,  advanced  through  a  wood  with  so  much  celerity,  that 
the  enemy  were  completely  surprised ;  a  short  conflict  ensued, 
which  ended  in  the  capture  of  the  batteries  and  garrison,  with 
the  loss  of  Colonels  Gibson  and  Wood,  who  fell  gallantly 
fighting  at  the  head  of  their  men.  The  right  division,  under 
General  Miller,  had  been  stationed  in  a  ravine,  with  direc 
tions  not  to  advance  until  General  Porter  should  have  gained 
the  enemy's  flank.  The  noise  of  the  firing  being  heard,  Ge 
neral  Miller  immediately  moved  forward,  and,  after  a  close 
and  severe  contest,  the  whole  of  the  enemy's  batteries  were 
carried.  The  cannon  were  then  spiked,  and  the  troops,  hav 
ing  accomplished  their  object,  returned  to  their  fort,  carrying 
with  them  380  prisoners.  Besides  this  loss,  115  of  the  enemy 
were  killed,  and  178  wounded.  The  American  loss  was  also 
very  severe  :  79  were  killed,  among  whom  was  General  Davis 
of  the  New  York  militia,  232  wounded,  and  216  missing. 

The  success  of  this  enterprise  compelled  the  British  com 
mander  to  raise  the  siege,  and  fall  back  behind  the  Chippewa. 
The  American  army  was  also  soon  afterwards  strongly  rein 
forced,  by  the  arrival  of  Major-General  Izard,  with  5000  men 
from  Plattsburg.  Having  taken  the  chief  command,  that 
officer  immediately  advanced  towards  Chippewa,  where  he 
found  the  enemy  strongly  entrenched,  and  vainly  endeavoured 
to  entice  him  into  the  field.  The  season  being  far  advanced, 
it  was  determined  to  withdraw  the  army  to  the  American 
shore.  Fort  Erie  was  therefore  destroyed,  and  the  troops 
went  into  winter-quarters  at  Buffalo,  Black  Rock,  and  Ba- 
tavia. 


1814.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  587 


CHAPTER  XVIL 

Remarkable  Cruise  of  the  Essex — Engaged  by  a  superior  British  Force — San 
guinary  Battle  of  three  Hours — Capture  of  the  Essex. 

"  Thou  canst  not  boast  a  victory  rightly  won." 

THE  spring  of  1814  was  distinguished  for  the  loss  of  the 
American  frigate  Essex,  Commodore  David  Porter,  which 
was  captured  on  the  28th  of  March,  in  the  Bay  of  Valparaiso, 
South  America,  by  a  superior  British  force.  The  cruise  of 
the  Essex  is  remarkable  for  its  extent,  and  the  adventurous 
spirit  with  which  it  was  conducted.  The  Essex  sailed  from 
the  Delaware  in  October,  1812,  under  orders  to  join  the 
squadron  of  Commodore  Bainbridge,  off  the  coast  of  South 
America.  After  touching  at  the  Cape  De  Verds,  Captain 
Porter  arrived  on  the  coast  of  Brazil  in  November,  and  not 
finding  the  Constitution,  proceeded  round  Cape  Horn,  which 
he  doubled,  during  tremendous  storms,  in  the  month  of  Feb 
ruary.  He  then  put  into  the  port  of  Valparaiso,  and  having 
procured  the  necessary  supplies.,  sailed  for  the  Gallipagos 
islands.  Here  he  cruised  for  the  space  of  six  months,  during 
which  he  inflicted  incalculable  injury  on  the  enemy's  com 
merce.  The  whole  of  the  British  vessels  at  that  time  on  the 
Pacific  were  captured,  to  the  number  of  twelve ;  %three  of 
them  were  sent  to  Valparaiso,  three  to  the  United  States,  and 
two  given  up  to  the  prisoners.  Of  the  remainder,  one  was 
converted  into  a  vessel  of  war,  on  which  he  mounted  twenty 
guns,  and  named  her  the  Essex  Junior,  and  with  her  and  the 
other  three,  he  proceeded  to  the  Marquesas  islands,  for  the 
purpose  of  provisioning  and  repairing  his  frigate.  At  Nooa- 
keva,  one  of  this  group,  he  met  with  a  very  hospitable  recep 
tion  from  the  natives  in  general ;  but  the  hostile  conduct  of 
the  Typees,  one  of  the  tribes,  led  to  a  conflict  with  them, 
which  ended  in  the  destruction  of  their  village,  with  circum 
stances  of  severity  deeply  to  be  regretted. 

In  company  with  the  Essex  Junior,  Captain  Porter  sailed 
from  Nooakeva  on  the  12th  of  December,  and  arrived  at 


588  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1814. 

Valparaiso  shortly  afterwards.  They  had  not  been  here 
long,  when  a  British  frigate,  the  Phoebe,  Captain  Hillyar, 
with  the  Cherub  sloop  of  war,  appeared  off  the  port,  having 
been  fitted  out  expressly  to  meet  the  Essex.  Their  united 
force  was  much  greater  than  Captain  Porter's,  the  Essex 
Junior  being  a  mere  store-ship.  After  a  blockade  of  six 
weeks,  he  at  length  made  an  attempt  to  get  to  sea ;  unfortu 
nately,  in  rounding  a  point,  a  squall  carried  away  his  main- 
topmast,  and  thus  precluded  all  hope  of  getting  out.  Return 
ing  to  the  harbour  was  equally  impracticable,  and  Captain 
Porter  therefore  ran  into  a  small  bay,  within  pistol-shot  of 
the  shore,  where  the  laws  of  war  ought  to  have  protected 
him.  Captain  Hillyar,  however,  regardless  of  these  rules, 
commenced  an  attack  before  a  spring  could  be  put  on  the  Es 
sex's  cable.  The  Phoebe  and  Cherub  both  took  a  position 
under  her  stern,  and  opened  a  heavy  fire  from  their  broad 
sides.  In  return,  Captain  Porter  could  bring  only  three 
twelve-pounders  to  bear  on  the  enemy,  and,  finding  his  crew 
to  be  falling  fast  around  him,  he  cut  his  cable,  and  ran  down 
with  the  intention  of  laying  the  Phoebe  on  board.  The  latter, 
however,  kept  away,  and  being  armed  with  long  guns,  the 
Essex  carrying  only  carronades,  her  fire  was  so  destructive 
that  Captain  Porter  determined  to  run  his  ship  on  shore :  but 
the  wind  setting  off  the  land,  he  was  unable  to  accomplish  his 
purpose,  and,  after  a  sanguinary  contest  of  three  hours,  no 
alternative  remained  but  to  strike  his  colours.  The  slaughter 
on  board  the  Essex  was  very  great ;  out  of  255  men,  154 
were  killed,  wounded  or  missing.  The  flag  of  the  Essex  was 
not  struck  to  an  equal  force.  The  Phoebe  mounted  53  guns, 
and  had  on  board  320  men ;  the  Cherub,  28  guns,  and  180 
men.  The  number  of  guns  on  board  the  two  vessels  was, 
|  therefore,  81,  while  the  Essex  carried  only  46.  The  Essex 
Junior  was  at  anchor  in  the  port  of  Valparaiso  during  the 
action,  in  which  she  bore  no  part. 


1814.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  589 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


Captain  Warrington,   Commander  of  the  Peacock,  falls  in  with  and  captures 
the  British  Brig  Epervier — Prize  brought  to  the  United  States. 

"  Then  here 's  to  the  heroes,  high-sounding  in  story, 
Who  have  gallantly  met  and  conquer'd  the  foe." 

THE  ship  Peacock,  of  18  guns,  commanded  by  Captain 
Warrington,  being  on  a  cruise  on  the  southern  coast,  fell  in 
with,  on  the  29th  of  October,  the  British  brig  Epervier,  of 
equal  force.  After  an  action  of  forty-two  minutes,  the  latter 
surrendered,  with  the  loss  of  8  killed  and  15  wounded.  Only 
one  man  was  killed,  and  two  wounded,  on  board  the  Peacock. 
The  prize,  which  was  found  to  contain  $120,000,  was  brought 
safely  to  the  United  States. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

General  Ross  marches  to  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States— Issues  Orders  for  the 
Burning  of  the  Public  Buildings — Order  executed. 


WHILE  the  shouts  of  naval  victories  yet  echoed  over  the 
land,  the  public  attention  was  irresistibly  drawn  to  the  move 
ments  of  the  enemy  on  the  sea-board.  About  the  middle  ol 
August,  between  fifty  and  sixty  sail  of  the  British  arrived  in 
the  Chesapeake,  with  troops  destined  for  the  attack  of  Wash 
ington,  the  capital  of  the  United  States.  On  the  23d  of  Au 
gust,  6000  British  troops,  commanded  by  General  Ross,  forced 
their  way  to  that  place,  burnt  the  capitol,  president's  house 
and  executive  offices.  Having  thus  accomplished  an  object 
highly  disgraceful  to  the  British  arms,  and  wantonly  burned 
public  buildings,  the  ornament  and  pride  of  the  nation,  the 
destruction  of  which  could  not  hasten  the  termination  of  the 
war,  on  the  25th  they  retired,  and,  by  rapid  marches,  re- 


590  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY.  [1814. 

gained   their   shipping,  having  lost,  during  the  expedition 
nearly  1000  men. 

The  following  are  the  particulars  of  this  deplorable  affair — 
a  narrative  that  reflects  even  more  discredit  on  the  temporary 
conquerors  than  upon  the  conquered  themselves. 

The  troops,  under  General  Ross,  were  landed  at  Benedict, 
on  the  Pawtuxet,  forty-seven  miles  from  Washington.  On 
the  21st,  they  moved  toward  Nottingham,  and  the  following 
day  reached  Marl  borough.  A  British  flotilla,  commanded  by 
Cockburn,  consisting  of  launches  and  barges,  ascended 'the 
river  at  the  same  time,  keeping  on  the  right  flank  of  the 
army.  The  day  following,  on  approaching  the  American 
flotilla  of  Commodore  Barney,  which  had  taken  refuge  high 
up  the  river,  twelve  miles  from  Washington,  some  sailors  left 
on  board  the  flotilla  for  the  purpose,  should  it  be  necessary, 
set  fire  to  it  and  fled. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  British  army  at  Bladensburg,  six 
miles  from  Washington,  General  Winder,  commander  of  the 
American  forces,  chiefly  militia  collected  for  the  occasion, 
ordered  them  to  engage  the  enemy.  The  principal  part  of 
the  militia,  however,  fled  at  the  opening  of  the  contest.  Com 
modore  Barney,  with  a  few  eighteen-pounders,  and  about  400 
men,  made  a  gallant  resistance ;  but,  being  overpowered  by 
numbers,  and  himself  wounded,  he  and  a  part  of  his  brave 
band  were  compelled  to  surrender  themselves  prisoners  of 
war. 

From  Bladensburg,  General  Ross  urged  his  march  to  Wash 
ington,  where  he  arrived  at  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
Having  stationed  his  main  body  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  capitol,  he  entered  the  city  at  the  head  of 
about  700  men,  soon  after  which,  he  issued  his  orders  for  the 
conflagration  of  the  public  buildings.  With  the  capitol  were 
consumed  its  valuable  libraries,  and  all  the  furniture  and 
articles  of  taste  and  value  in  that  and  in  the  other  buildings. 
The  great  bridge  across  the  Potomac  was  burnt,  together 
with  an  elegant  hotel,  and  other  private  buildings. 


1814.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  591 


CHAPTER   XX. 

Attack  on  Baltimore  by  Ross — Gallantry  of  the  Americans — Overpowered  by 
Numbers — Retreat — Americans  entrenched  two  Miles  from  Baltimore — Enemy 
appear  next  Morning  after  the  Battle — Abandon  the  Idea  of  taking  the  City  as  im 
practicable. 

"  But  undauntedly  fly  to  the  scene  of  commotion, 
To  fight  for  their  rights,  till  they  die  or  prevail." 

THE  capture  of  Washington  was  followed,  September  12th, 
by  an  attack  on  Baltimore,  in  which  the  American  forces, 
militia,  and  inhabitants  of  Baltimore,  made  a  gallant  defence. 
Being,  however,  overpowered  by  a  superior  force,  they  were 
compelled  to  retreat ;  but  they  fought  so  valiantly,  that  the 
attempt  to  gain  possession  of  the  city  was  abandoned  by  the 
enemy,  who,  during  the  night  of  Tuesday,  13th,  retired  to 
their  shipping,  having  lost,  among  their  killed,  General  Ross, 
the  commander-in-chief  of  the  British  troops.  Having  made 
this  general  statement,  we  will  now  proceed  to  detail  more 
particularly  the  operations  of  the  enemy  in  this  unsuccessful 
expedition. 

The  British  army,  after  the  capture  of  Washington,  having 
re-embarked  on  board  the  fleet  in  the  Pawtuxent,  Admiral 
Cochrane  moved  down  the  river,  and  proceeded  up  the  Chesa 
peake.  On  the  morning  of  the  llth  of  September,  he  ap 
peared  at  the  mouth  of  the  Patapsco,  fourteen  miles  from 
Baltimore,  with  a  fleet  of  ships  of  war  and  transports,  amount 
ing  to  fifty  sail. 

On  the  next  day,  12th,  land  forces,  to  the  number  of  6000, 
were  landed  at  North  Point,  and,  under  the  command  of  Ge 
neral  Ross,  commenced  their  march  towards  the  city.  In 
anticipation  of  the  landing  of  the  troops,  General  Strieker 
was  despatched  with  3200  men  from  Baltimore,  to  keep  the 
enemy  in  check. 

On  the  12th,  a  battle  was  fought  by  the  two  armies.  Early 
in  the  engagement,  a  considerable  part  of  General  Strieker's 
troops  retreated  in  confusion,  leaving  him  scarcely  1400  men, 
to  whom  was  opposed  the  whole  body  of  the  enemy.  An  in- 


592  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1814. 


cessant  fire  was  continued  from  half-past  two  o'clock,  till  a 
little  before  four,  when  General  Strieker,  finding  the  contest 
unequal,  and  that  the  enemy  outflanked  him,  retreated  upon 
his  reserve,  which  was  effected  in  good  order.  The  loss  of 
the  Americans,  in  killed  and  wounded,  amounted  to  163, 
among  whom  were  some  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  of 
Baltimore, 

The  enemy  made  his  appearance  the  next  morning  in  front 
of  the  American  entrenchments,  at  a  distance  of  two  miles 
from  the  city,  showing  an  intention  of  renewing  the  attack. 

In  the  meantime,  an  attack  was  made  on  fort  M'Henry* 
from  frigates,  bombs,  and  rocket-vessels,  which  continued 
through  the  day  and  the  greater  part  of  the  night,  doing, 
however,  but  little  damage. 

In  the  course  of  the  night  of  Tuesday,  Admiral  Cochrane 
held  a  communication  with  the  commander  of  the  land  forces, 
and  the  enterprise  of  taking  the  city  being  deemed  imprac 
ticable,  the  troops  were  re-embarked,  and  the  next  day  the 
fleet  descended  the  bay,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  released  inha 
bitants. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

Capture  of  a  British  Squadron  on  Lake  Champlain  by  Macdonough — Battle  lasts 
several  Hours — -Three  Galleys  sunk — Battle  at  Plattsburg  in  sight  of  that  on  the 
Lake — Americans  victorious  by  Land  and  Water — Last  Operations  of  the  Enemy 
in  that  Quarter. 

"  Fame,  let  thy  trumpet  sound, 
I  Tell  all  the  world  around." 

"  By  hard  fighting,  sir." 

WHILE  the  southern  States  were  thus  experiencing  the 
calamities  of  an  aggravated  and  relentless  hostility,  another 
portion  of  the  Union  had  been  invaded  by  the  enemy,  under 
circumstances  very  unfavourable  to  the  cause  of  the  republic. 
The  peace  of  Europe  had  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  British 
government  a  large  and  formidable  army,  with  which  it  was 
enabled  to  attempt  schemes  of  conquest  and  destruction,  more 


1814.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  593 


extensive  than  any  it  had  yet  conceived.  The  first  step  in 
its  new  plans  was  apparently  to  obtain  the  command  of  lake 
Champlain,  and  thence  to  move  down  the  Hudson,  thus  divid 
ing  the  eastern  section  from  the  rest  of  the  Union,  while  the 
discontent  so  strongly  manifested  in  the  New  England  States 
wrould,  it  was  hoped,  lead  also  to  a  political  division.  The 
expected  reinforcements  arrived  in  the  months  of  July  and 
August,  and  as  soon  as  they  were  organized,  it  was  deter 
mined  to  lead  them  on  the  expedition.  On  the  3d  of  Septem 
ber,  Sir  George  Prevost,  at  the  head  of  14,000  regular  troops, 
crossed  the  American  frontier,  and  took  possession  of  the  vil 
lage  of  Champlain,  intending  thence  to  proceed  to  the  attack 
of  Plattsburg,  while  the  British  squadron  should  at  the  same 
time  engage  that  of  the  Americans  on  the  lake. 

The  march  of  General  Izard  to  Sackett's  Harbour  had  left 
Plattsburg  undefended,  except  by  about  1500  regular  troops, 
under  Brigadier-General  Macomb.  On  the  news  of  the  ene 
my's  design,  the  utmost  exertion  was  made  by  this  officer  to 
collect  a  force  of  militia,  and  to  put  the  works  thrown  up  for 
the  protection  of  the  place  in  the  best  state  of  defence.  By 
the  4th  of  September,  about  1000  militia  were  collected,  part 
of  whom  were  stationed  seven  miles  in  advance,  to  obstruct 
the  progress  of  the  enemy.  On  the  6th,  the  latter  was  dis 
covered  approaching,  and,  after  a  slight  skirmish,  the  militia 
party  retired  in  confusion.  The  advance  of  the  British  co 
lumn  was,  however,  considerably  retarded  by  the  felling  of 
trees,  and  other  means,  and  General  Macomb  removed  the 
planks  of  the  bridge  across  the  Saranac,  on  the  right  bank  of 
which  his  entrenched  camp  was  situated.  The  enemy  having 
made  his  appearance,  his  light  troops  entered  the  town,  and 
annoyed  the  Americans  on  the  opposite  bank,  until,  by  a  few 
hot  shot,  the  buildings  were  set  on  fire,  and  several  attempts 
to  cross  on  the  ruins  of  the  bridges  were  uniformly  repulsed. 
From  this  period  to  the  llth,  the  British  commander  was 
occupied  in  throwing  up  batteries  opposite  the  American  lines, 
and  General  Macomb,  on  his  part,  was  no  less  active  in 
strengthening  his  works,  arid  augmenting  his  force. 

The  operations  of  Sir  George  Prevost  appear  to  have 

75  2z* 


594  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1814- 

been  retarded  by  the  delay  in  fitting  out  the  squadron,  whose 
co-operation  he  conceived  necessary  to  the  success  of  an  as 
sault.  At  length,  on  the  morning  of  the  llth,  the  British  ves 
sels  appeared  in  view  of  Plattsburg.  Their  fleet  consisted  of 
the  frigate  Confiance,  of  39  guns,  the  brig  Linnet,  of  16,  the 
sloops  Chub  jun1  Finch,  of  11  each,  and  thirteen  galleys, 
mounting  18  gunv ;  carrying  in  all  95  guns,  and  about  1000 
men,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain  Downie.  The  American 
squadron  was  anchored  in  the  bay  of  Plattsburg,  and  carried 
in  all  SC  i^uns,  and  about  800  men.  It  was  commanded  by 
Commodore  Macdonough,  and  consisted  of  the  Saratoga,  of 
26  guns,  the  Eagle,  of  20,  the  Ticonderoga,  of  17,  the  Preble, 
of  7,  and  ten  galleys,  mounting  16  guns.  At  nine  in  the 
morning,  the  British  commodore,  in  the  Confiance,  anchored 
abreast  of  the  Saratoga,  at  a  distance  of  three  hundred  yards  ; 
and  the  remaining  vessels  of  his  squadron  took  their  stations 
opposite  to  those  of  the  Americans.  The  engagement  then 
commenced.  After  a  fire  of  two  hours.  Commodore  Macdo 
nough,  finding  that  the  superior  force  of  the  Confiance  had 
crippled  most  of  the  guns  on  the  starboard  side  of  his  vessel, 
resolved  to  wind  her  round  and  open  a  fresh  fire.  This  diffi 
cult  mr*  ---vre  was  performed  with  success,  and  the  Confi 
ance,  b» .-<  anable  to  effect  the  same  operation,  soon  after 
wards  surrendered.  The  brig  and  sloops  followed  the  same 
fate ;  three  of  the  galleys  were  sunk,  and  the  rest  escaped. 
This  glorious  and  memorable  victory  was  gained  with  little 
comparative  destruction  of  life.  The  killed  and  wounded  of 
the  Americans  amounted  to  110;  of  the  British,  84  were 
killed,  including  Captain  Downie,  and  110  wounded.  Being 
asked  by  the  British  commander  how  he  gained  the  battle, 
he  answered,  "By  hard  fighting,  sir." 

The  attack  of  the  American  batteries  commenced  at  the 
same  moment  with  the  naval  engagement.  Repeated  attempts 
were  made,  under  cover  of  a  heavy  bombardment,  to  force  a 
passage  of  the  river,  in  each  of  which  the  assailants  were 
repulsed  with  great  loss.  The  surrender  of  the  fleet,  which 
was  announced  by  the  shouts  of  victory  from  the  American 
lines,  induced  the  British  commander  to  withdraw  his  troops 


1814.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  595 

from  the  contest.  At  two  in  the  morning  of  the  12th,  the 
whole  British  army  precipitately  retreated,  leaving  their  sick 
and  wounded  behind,  and  reached  Chazy,  eight  miles  distant, 
before  their  flight  was  discovered.  Upwards  of  500  deserters 
soon  afterwards  came  in,  and  their  whole  loss  was  supposed, 
by  General  Macomb,  to  be  about  2500;  that  of  the  Ameri 
cans  was  only  99.  Such  was  the  issue  of  this  powerful  ex 
pedition,  the  last  operation  undertaken  by  the  enemy  in  that 
quarter.  The  double  victory  of  the  army  and  navy  raised 
the  hopes,  and  exalted  the  reputation  of  the  American  people, 
and  had  a  powerful  effect  upon  the  issue  of  the  negotiations 
then  pending  between  the  two  countries. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

General  Jackaon  proceeds  to  New  Orleans— Great  Display  of  mental  Energy— 
The  Militia  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  are  hastened  onward  to  defend  the  City — 
Fortifications  thrown  up — Negroes  compelled  to  work — Martial  Law  proclaimed 
— American  Lines  on  both  Sides  of  the  Mississippi — Destruction  of  the  Schooner 
Caroline — The  great  Battle  of  New  Orleans,  on  the  Eighth  of  January — Ameri 
cans  gain  a  glorious  Victory  and  save  New  Orleans. 

"  Justum  et  tenacem  propositi  virum — 
Si  fractus  illabatur  orbis, 
Improvidum  ferient  Ruinte." 

"The  man  resolved,  and  steady  to  his  trust, 
Inflexible  to  ill,  and  obstinately  just; 


From  orbs  convulsed  should  all  the  planets  fly, 
World  crush  on  world,  and  ocean  mix  with  sky ; 
He,  unconcern'd,  would  view  the  falling  whole, 
Arid  still  maintain  the  purpose  of  his  soul." 

ANOTHER  brilliant  series  of  events  remains  to  be  recorded 
before  we  terminate  the  narration  of  military  operations.  In 
the  extreme  south,  as  well  as  on  the  remote  northern  frontier, 
a  ray  of  glory  was  shed  on  the  closing  scenes  of  war,  and 
a  fresh  lesson'incuicated  of  the  strength  and  power  of  a  free 


596  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1814. 

people  contending  against  the  invaders  of  their  soil.  After 
the  conclusion  of  the  contest  with  the  Creeks,  General  Jack 
son  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  Mobile,  where  he  received  in 
formation  that  about  300  British  troops,  under  Colonel 
Nicholls,  had  arrived  at  Pensacola,  and  that  an  additional 
force  of  thirteen  sail  of  the  line,  and  10,000  men,  were  daily 
expected.  With  his  characteristic  promptitude,  he  immedi 
ately  made  an  additional  call  on  the  people  of  Tennessee,  and 
took  efficient  measures  to  prepare  for  defence.  The  entrance 
of  the  bay  of  Mobile  is  defended  by  fort  Bowyer,  which  was 
at  that  time  garrisoned  by  120  men  of  the  2d  infantry,  under 
Major  Lawrence.  On  the  15th  of  September,  Colonel  Ni 
cholls  appeared,  with  four  vessels  of  war,  off  the  port,  and 
soon  afterwards  landed  a  body  of  300  men,  composed  of  regu 
lars  and  Indians.  An  attack  was  commenced  at  the  same 
time  by  land  and  water;  but,  after  a  cannonade  of  three 
hours,  the  British  vessels  \vere  compelled  to  retreat,  and  the 
commodore's  frigate  was  so  much  disabled,  that  she  drifted 
on  shore,  where  she  was  set  on  fire  and  abandoned  by  her 
crew,  only  20  of  whom,  out  of  170,  escaped.  The  troops 
retreated  by  land  to  Pensacola. 

The  government  of  Florida,  having  thus  suffered  its  neutral 
territory  to  be  violated,  for  the  purpose  of  inflicting  an  injury 
on  the  United  States,  General  Jackson  resolved  to  demand 
satisfaction.  He  therefore  marched  from  Mobile  with  a  body 
of  Tennessee  volunteers,  2000  of  whom  had  recently  joined 
him,  some  regulars,  and  a  few  Choctaw  Indians;  and,  having 
arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Pensacola  on  the  6th  of  November, 
he  sent  a  flag,  which  was  fired  on  and  forced  to  return.  He 
now  determined  to  take  possession  of  a  place  which  had  been 
so  long  made  use  of  by  the  enemies  of  the  repuolic  to  its  an 
noyance.  Early  on  the  7th,  the  troops  were  put  in  motion. 
The  American  encampment  being  to  the  west,  it  was  sup 
posed  the  attack  would  be  made  in  that  quarter,  and  accord 
ingly  the  chief  preparations  of  defence  were  made  by  the 
British  and  Spaniards  on  that  side.  The  main  body  of  the 
Americans,  however,  were  directed  to  an  opposite  point,  and 
the  garrison,  being  completely  surprised,  were  soon  driven 


1814.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  597 

from  their  positions ;  capitulation  was  then  signed,  by  which 
Pensacola  and  the  different  fortresses  were  surrendered  to  the 
United  States.  The  fort,  called  the  Barrancas,  which  com 
manded  the  entrance  of  the  bay,  remained  yet  to  be  taken 
possession  of.  General  Jackson  was  about  marching  his  army 
for  this  purpose,  when  intelligence  was  received  of  its  de 
struction  by  the  British  troops,  who,  with  their  shipping,  then 
evacuated  the  bay.  The  government  of  the  United  States 
had  not  authorized  the  re-construction  of  them,  and  General 
Jackson  soon  afterwards  returned  to  Mobile. 

While  at  Mobile,  intelligence  was  received  that  a  formi 
dable  expedition  was  preparing  for  the  invasion  of  Louisiana, 
and  General  Jackson  proceeded  immediately  to  New  Orleans. 
Here  abundant  occasion  was  offered  for  the  exercise  of  his 
varied  talents,  and  the  display  of  his  mental  energy.  This 
important  city  was  not  properly  defended  at  any  one  of  the 
points  from  which  it  might  be  assailed ;  its  population  was 
various,  disunited,  apprehensive,  and  discontented ;  many  had 
refused  to  comply  with  the  militia  draft,  and  even  the  legis 
lative  assembly  was  not  free  from  the  spirit  of  disaffection. 
In  this  state  of  things,  the  most  decided  and  efficient  measures 
were  necessary,  and  General  Jackson  was  not  slow  in  adopt 
ing  them.  The  defences  of  the  Mississippi  were  strengthened  ; 
the  inlets  or  bayous  to  the  east  were  obstructed ;  the  militia 
of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  who  had  been  ordered  out  by 
the  government,  were  hastened  in  their  progress,  and  the  pa 
triotism  of  the  people  aroused  by  every  means  in  his  power. 

At  length,  early  in  December,  a  fleet  of  sixty  sail  of  vessels 
was  discovered  off  the  Ship  island.  A  naval  force  of  five  gun 
boats,  under  Lieutenant  Jones,  had  been  collected  on  the  lakes 
east  of  the  town,  which  it  was  supposed  would  be  able  suc 
cessfully  to  defend  the  narrow  inlet ;  and  now,  on  the  news  of 
the  enemy's  approach,  Lieutenant  Jones  made  sail  for  the 
passes  of  the  lake  Pontchartrain.  Here,  on  the  13th,  he  wras 
attacked  by  the  enemy's  barges,  to  the  number  of  forty-three, 
with  upwards  of  1000  men,  and,  after  a  gallant  defence  of  an 
hour,  was  compelled  to  surrender.  The  capture  of  these  ves 
sels  having  given  the  enemy  the  entire  command  of  the  ap- 


598  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1814. 

preaches  to  New  Orleans  in  that  quarter,  General  Jackson 
redoubled  his  vigilance  and  exertions.  The  militia  of  the  city 
was  called  out  en  masse ;  an  embargo  was  laid  on  the  vessels 
in  the  harbour ;  the  negroes  were  impressed  and  compelled  to 
work  on  the  fortifications ;  and,  soon  afterwards,  martial  law 
wras  proclaimed.  These  strong  and  unusual  measures,  which 
nothing  but  the  urgency  of  the  case  could  have  justified,  led 
probably  to  the  salvation  of  New  Orleans. 

Most  of  the  bayous  and  canals  leading  to  the  Mississippi, 
had  been  obstructed  or  guarded  with  care.  One,  called  the 
bayou  Bienvenu,  being  little  known,  was  unfortunately  left 
open  and  undefended,  except  by  a  picket-guard.  On  the  22d, 
the  enemy  came  suddenly  on  the  American  detachment,  sur 
prised  them,  and  having  pushed  rapidly,  reached  the  bank  of 
the  river  by  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  General  Jackson, 
who  had  been  joined  the  preceding  day  by  4000  Tennessee 
militia,  under  General  Carrol,  resolved  immediately  on  attack 
ing  them.  With  about  2000  men,  consisting  of  General  Cof 
fee's  brigade  of  militia,  a  small  body  of  regulars,  and  the  city 
volunteers,  with  a  detachment  of  artillery,  he  marched  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  22d,  leaving  General  Carrol's  force,  and 
the  city  militia,  to  defend  the  Gentilly  road. 

The  left  of  the  enemy's  line  resting  on  the  river,  General 
Jackson  ordered  the  armed  schooner  Caroline  to  take  a  station 
from  which  a  fire  could  be  advantageously  opened  upon  it,  at 
the  same  moment  that  the  attack  should  be  made  by  the  land 
forces.  This  plan  was  put  in  execution  about  seven  in  the 
evening.  The  brigade  of  General  Coffee  rushed  impetuously 
on  the  British  right,  while  General  Jackson,  with  the  remain 
der  of  the  forces,  assailed  their  left,  and  the  battery  of  the 
Caroline  was  directed  with  considerable  effect.  The  enemy, 
although  taken  by  surprise,  soon  formed,  and  withstood  the 
assault  with  bravery.  A  thick  fog  arising,  the  American 
commander  withdrew  his  troops,  and,  at  four  in  the  morning, 
retired  to  a  strong  position  near  the  city.  His  loss  in  this 
short  engagement  was  24  killed,  115  wounded,  and  74  miss 
ing.  That  of  the  British  was,  in  all,  213. 

The  American   troops  were  now  earnestly  employed  in 


1815.1  THE    LATE    WAR.  599 


strengthening  the  position  taken  by  General  Jackson,  after  the 
affair  of  the  23d.  These  lines,  which  subsequent  events  have 
rendered  memorable,  were  on  both  banks  of  the  Mississippi. 
That  on  the  left  was  nearly  straight,  about  one  thousand  yards 
in  length,  with  a  parapet,  and  a  ditch  containing  five  feet 
of  water,  extending  on  the  right  to  the  river,  and  on  the  left 
to  a  thick  and  impervious  wood.  On  the  right  bank,  was  a 
heavy  battery  of  fifteen  cannon,  which  enfiladed  the  advance 
to  the  lines  on  the  left.  In  the  meantime,  the  enemy  had 
been  reinforced  by  the  main  body  of  the  army,  and  a  large 
train  of  artillery,  under  Sir  Edward  Packcnham,  the  corn- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  expedition.  Having  previously  de 
stroyed  the  schooner  Caroline,  by  a  battery  erected  for  the 
purpose,  the  whole  British  army  was  marched  up  the  levee 
on  the  28th,  and,  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mild,  began  a  furi 
ous  attack,  with  rockets  and  bombs.  The  fire  from  the  Ame 
rican  lines  was,  however,  directed  writh  so  much  more  preci 
sion,  that  the  British  general  drew  off  his  troops  with  some 
loss.  At  daylight,  on  the  1st  of  January,  the  cannonade  was 
renewed  from  the  batteries  erected  by  the  enemy,  near  the 
American  lines,  while,  at  the  same  time,  a  bold  attack  was 
made  on  General  Jackson's  left,  which  ended  in  the  repulse 
of  the  assailants.  In  the  evening,  they  retired  from  their 
batteries,  leaving  behind  a  considerable  quantity  of  warlike 
munitions. 

Shortly  after  this  event,  both  armies  received  an  accession 
of  strength ;  that  of  General  Jackson,  by  the  arrival  of  2500 
Kentuckians.  under  General  Adair,  and  the  invaders  by  Ge 
neral  Lambert,  with  4000  men.  The  American  troops  now 
consisted  of  about  8000  men,  many  of  whom  were  badly 
armed;  the  British  were  in  number  not  less  than  10,000, 
mostly  veterans,  and  provided  with  every  necessary  article 
of  war.  Preparatory  to  the  grand  assault  of  the  lines,  it  was 
necessary  for  the  British  commander  to  obtain  possession  of 
the  batteries  on  the  right  bank,  wrhich  the  want  of  boats  pre 
vented  his  reaching*  With  great  labour,  he  at  length  suc 
ceeded  in  cutting  a  canal  from  the  bayou  to  the  Mississippi, 
by  which  he  was  enabled  to  transport  his  boat^  to  the  river. 


600  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY.  [1815. 


This  operation  was  completed  on  the  7th,  and  the  next  morn 
ing  fixed  for  the  assault,  which  was  to  take  place  on  both 
banks  at  the  same  time. 

The  8th  of  January  will  long  be  memorable  in  the  annals 
of  the  American  republic.  The  preservation  of  an  important 
city  from  plunder  and  violation ;  the  defeat  and  destruction 
of  the  most  powerful  army  that  ever  landed  on  the  American 
shores,  by  a  band  of  undisciplined  militia — such  were  the  con 
sequences  of  the  events  of  this  day.  Having  detached  a 
strong  party  to  the  right  bank,  under  Colonel  Thornton,  the 
British  commander  moved  early  in  the  morning  with  his  re 
maining  force  to  the  assault,  in  two  divisions,  under  Generals 
Gibbs  and  Keen,  the  reserve  being  commanded  by  General 
Lambert.  When  they  arrived  within  reach  of  the  batteries, 
a  heavy  cannonade  was  opened,  and  as  they  approached 
nearer,  a  stream  of  well-directed  fire  from  the  unerring  rifles 
of  the  militia,  carried  destruction  into  their  ranks.  After 
vainly  attempting  to  advance,  the  assailants  broke  and  fled  in 
confusion.  A  second  time  did  they  approach  the  ditch,  with 
equal  ill  success.  A  third  attempt  was  made  to  bring  them 
to  the  charge,  but  such  was  the  havoc  made  among  their  offi 
cers,  and  in  their  ranks,  that  nothing  could  induce  them  to 
return.  Their  commander-in-chief  had  been  killed ;  Generals 
Keen  and  Gibbs  were  severely  wounded,  and  the  plain  was 
strewed  with  the  dead  and  dying.  In  this  state  of  things, 
General  Lambert,  upon  whom  the  command  had  devolved, 
determined  to  give  up  the  contest,  and,  collecting  together 
the  remains  of  his  army,  returned  to  camp.  The  attack  on 
the  right  bank  had  in  the  meantime  been  made,  and  was 
attended  with  greater  success.  The  body  of  undisciplined 
militia  by  which  it  was  defended,  had  ingloriously  fled,  through 
fear  of  being  outflanked,  and  the  enemy  quickly  obtained  pos 
session  of  their  works.  The  defeat  on  the  left  bank,  however, 
left  the  enemy  little  disposition  to  profit  by  this  advantage ; 
and  a  stratagem  of  General  Jackson  induced  him  to  abandon 
it.  General  Lambert  having  proposed  an  armistice,  the  pro 
posal  was  agreed  to  by  the  American  commander,  with  a  con 
dition  that  it  should  not  extend  to  the  right  bank,  to  which  no 


1815.]  THE    LATE    WAR.  601 


reinforcements  should  be  sent  by  either  party.  Deceived  by 
this  reservation,  which  led  him  to  suppose  that  the  Americans 
had  been  reinforced  in  that  quarter,  General  Lambert  with 
drew  his  troops,  and  the  lines  were  immediately  re-occupied 
by  General  Jackson.  Never,  perhaps,  was  a  victory  gained 
with  a  greater  disproportion  of  loss  than  on  this  occasion. 
Of  the  Americans,  only  7  were  killed  and  6  wounded  ;  while 
of  the  enemy,  upwards  of  2000,  including  almost  all  their 
general  officers,  were  killed,  wounded  or  prisoners.  The  pa 
triot  is  often  compelled  to  weep  over  the  carnage  by  which 
his  country  has  been  delivered  from  foreign  invasion  ;  but  how 
exquisite  is  his  gratification,  when  that  holy  end  is  effected 
with  little  bloodshed,  and  when,  in  the  beautiful  language  of 
the  defender  of  New  Orleans,  "  Not  a  cypress  leaf  is  inter 
woven  with  the  wreath  of  triumph."  The  loss  of  human  life 
is  always  to  be  regretted  ;  but  humanity  itself  must  cease  to 
lament,  when  those  whose  purpose  is  violation,  plunder,  and 
destruction,  perish  in  the  attempt  to  effect  their  object. 

The  enemy  had  been  equally  unsuccessful  in  his  endeavour 
to  force  a  passage  up  the  Mississippi.  A  part  of  the  British 
fleet  entered  that  river,  and  anchored  opposite  fort  St.  Philip, 
on  which  they  commenced  a  cannonade  on  the  9th  of  January, 
which  was  continued  until  the  17th,  when,  finding  that  no 
impression  was  made,  they  gave  up  the  contest  and  retired 
from  the  river.  From  this  place,  they  proceeded  to  Mobile 
bay,  where  the  remainder  of  the  fleet  had  Assembled,  with 
the  troops  of  General  Lambert,  which  had  re-ernoaiKed  after 
their  repulse  from  New  Orleans.  Fort  Bowyer  was  invested 
by  this  formidable  force  on  the  18th  of  February,  and  sur 
rendered  on  the  llth  of  March.  The  garrison,  to  the  num 
ber  of  366,  were  made  prisoners  of  war.  The  news  of  peace, 
which  arrived  soon  after  this  event,  put  a  period  to  all  further 
hostility. 

The  following  is  from  a  number  of  Niles'  Register,  issued 
on  the  arrival  of  part  of  the  glad  tidings  of  the  victory  at 
New  Orleans  : 


"Advance  our  waving  colours  on  the  walls] 
Rescued  is  Orleans  from  the  English  wolves.'' 


76 


602  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY.  [1815. 

"  Glorious  News  from  New  Orleans. 

"  Glory  be  to  God,  that  the  barbarians  have  been  defeated, 
and  that,  at  Orleans,  the  intended  plunderers  have  found 
their  grave ! — Glory  to  Jackson,  Carrol,  and  Coffee,  and  the 
hardy  and  gallant  Tennesseeans,  Kentuckians  and  Louisiani- 
ans,  who  '  seized  opportunity  by  the  forelock'  to  '  demonstrate' 
what  freemen  can  do  in  defence  of  their  altars  and  firesides. 
Glory  to  the  militia,  that  the  '  soldiers  of  Wellington,'  the 
boastful  conquerors  of  the  legions  of  France,  have  shrunk 
from  the  liberty-directed  bullets  of  the  high-souled  sons  of  the 
west !  Sons  of  freedom — saviours  of  Orleans — benefactors  of 
your  country  and  avengers  of  its  wrongs,  all  hail !  Hail,  glo 
rious  people — worthy,  thrice  worthy,  to  enjoy  the  blessings 
which  Heaven,  in  bounteous  profusion,  has  heaped  on  your 
country  !  Never  may  its  luxuriant  soil  be  trodden  unrevenged 
by  insolent  foreigners  in  arms !" 

The  news  of  the  victory  of  New  Orleans  was  soon  followed 
by  that  of  a  treaty  of  peace,  which  was  signed  at  Ghent,  on 
the  24th  of  December,  1814.  On  the  17th  of  February,  this 
treaty  was  ratified  by  the  President  and  Senate. 

The  Dey  of  Algiers,  who  had  committed  many  depreda 
tions  on  our  commerce,  was  soon  after  brought  to  his  senses, 
by  a  terrible  castigation  which  he  received  from  our  naval 
heroes.  In  this  war,  Commodore  Decatur  showed  himself 
one  of  the  greatest  naval  warriors  that  any  age  or  country 
ever  produced. 


THE    FLORIDA    WAR.  603 


PART  V. 
THE  FLORIDA  WAR. 

CHAPTER  £. 

Character  of  the  War — Distinguished  Officers  engaged  in  it — Indian  Council- 
Sketches  showing  the  general  Character  of  the  Fighting  in  Florida. 

"Austere  remembrance  of  the  deed  will  hang 
Upon  its  delicate  spirit  like  a  cloud, 
And  tinge  its  world  of  happy  images 
With  hues  of  horror." 

THE  Florida  war  consisted  in  the  killing  of  Indians,  because 
they  refused  to  leave  their  native  home — to  hunt  them  amid 
the  forests  and  swamps,  from  which  they  frequently  issued  to 
attack  the  intruders.  To  go  or  not  to  go,  that  was  the  ques 
tion  ;  and  although  it  was  unjust  on  the  part  of  our  govern 
ment  to  drive  the  original  occupants  from  their  homes,  yet  the 
officers  engaged  in  that  war  are  not  responsible  for  such  in 
justice,  as  they  did  their  duty  in  obeying  the  government. 
Among  these,  the  most  conspicuous  are  Generals  Scott,  Jessup, 
Gaines,  Clinch,  Worth,  &c.  Many  a  brave  man  lost  his  life 
and  now  sleeps  beneath  the  sod  of  Florida.  And  yet  neither 
these  nor  the  heroes  who  exposed  themselves  there  to  so 
many  dangers  and  sufferings,  could  acquire  any  military  glory 
in  such  a  war.  For  this  reason,  even  if  our  space  would  ad 
mit  of  it,  we  should  not  enter  into  a  detail  of  the  campaigns, 
I  as  they  would  be  dull  and  uninteresting. — And  now  to  the 
Indians. 

It  would  seem  very  doubtful  from  the  following  proceedings 
in  a  council  held  at  fort  King,  whether  it  was  the  determina 
tion  of  some  of  the  chiefs,  who  were  now  hostile,  to  persist 


604 


THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


in  their  opposition  to  removal,  provided  they  could  be  so  far 
separated  from  the  influence  of  the  Creek  councils  as  to  leave 
them  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  hereditary  possessions ;  or  that 
the  President  would  allow  them  a  separate  agent,  to  watch 
over  their  interests  and  protect  them  from  the  encroachments 
of  other  tribes :  for  it  is  obvious  that  their  greatest  objections 
to  leaving  Florida  have  been  based  upon  the  liability  of  losing 
their  slaves  when  they  should  have  removed  to  the  new  coun 
try.  In  all  their  councils,  this  subject  has  been  discussed, 
over  and  over  again,  and  again  reiterated  even  to  the  last 
day:  recommendation  after  recommendation  has  followed 
from  agents  and  friends  of  the  government,  but  these  solici 
tations  have  been  responded  to  by  the  cry  of  "  economy." 
"  Economy  in  the  administration  of  our  government  is  the 
order  of  the  day ;"  and  thus  the  sacred  rights  of  the  Indian 
I  have  been  bartered  away  in  the  endeavours  of  the  govern 
ment  to  preserve  the  vain  boasting  of  "  retrenchment  and 
reform." 

This  council  was  convened,  on  the  19th  day  of  August, 
1835,  at  the  request  of  the  undernamed  chiefs,  and  sub-chiefs, 
and  the  talk  was  delivered  in  the  presence  of  several  of  the 
officers  stationed  at  fort  King. 

Kolata  Amathla,  Yaha  Fixieo, 

Charley  Amathla,  Emathlochee, 

Fucta  Lusta  Hajo,  Acola  Hajo, 

Conhatkee  Mico,  Tustinuc  Yaha, 

Otulkee  Amathla,  Powshaila, 

Coa  Hajo,  Albartu  Hajo, 

Foshatchee  Mico,  Cochattee  Fixico, 

Tustenuggee  Hajo,  Ochee  Hajo, 

Billy  Hicks,  Cheti  Haiola, 

Assiola,  Cosa  Tustenuggee, 

Billy  John,  Tokosa  Fixico, 

Cosatchee  Amathla,  Conchattee. 
Yaha  Amathla, 

Kolata  Amathla  was  then  requested  by  the  chiefs  to  address 
the  officers,  and  make  known  to  their  great  father,  through 


THE    FLORIDA    WAR.  605 


them,  the  object  of  their  visit ;  after  a  short  silence  he  com 
menced  : — 

"  My  Friends  : — We  have  come  to  see  you  and  talk  with 
you  on  a  subject  of  great  interest  to  us.  We  want  you  to 
open  your  ears  to  us  and  tell  our  great  father,  the  President, 
the  words  his  children  speak. 

"  We  made  a  treaty  at  Payne's  Landing  to  go  to  the  west ; 
we  were  told  to  send  some  of  our  principal  chiefs  to  examine 
the  country,  and  if  they  approved  of  it,  that  the  treaty  should 
be  complete ;  they  went  and  found  the  country  good.  Whilst 
there,  they  had  a  talk  with  General  Stokes  and  the  commis 
sioners  ;  they  were  told  that  the  Seminoles  and  Creeks  were 
of  the  same  family ;  were  to  be  considered  as  the  same  na 
tion  ;  and  placed  under  the  Seminoles  were  a  large  nation, 
and  should  have  their  own  agent  as  before ;  that  if  our  father, 
the  President,  wrould  give  us  our  owrn  agent,  our  own  black 
smith,  and  our  ploughs,  we  would  go  to  this  new  country ; 
but  if  he  did  not,  we  should  be  unwilling  to  remove ;  that  we 
should  be  amongst  strangers ;  they  might  be  friendly  or  they 
might  be  hostile  to  us,  and  we  wanted  our  own  agent,  whom 
we  knew,  who  would  be  our  friend,  who  would  take  care  of 
us,  wrould  do  us  justice,  and  see  justice  done  us  by  others. 

*'*  The  commissioners  replied,  that  our  wishes  \vere  reason 
able,  and  that  they  would  do  all  that  they  could  to  induce  our 
great  father  to  grant  them.  Our  lands  at  the  west  are  sepa 
rated  from  those  of  the  Creeks  by  the  Canadian,  a  great  river ; 
and  we  think  the  Creeks  should  have  their  agent  on  one  side, 
arid  we  ours  on  the  other. 

k<  We  have  been  unfortunate  in  the  agents  our  father  has 
sent  us.  General  Thompson,  our  present  agent,  is  the  friend 
of  the  Seminoles ;  we  thought  at  first  that  he  would  be  like 
the  others,  but  we  know  better  now ;  he  has  but  one  talk,  and 
what  he  tells  us  is  the  truth  ;  we  want  him  to  go  with  us ;  he 
told  us  he  could  not  go,  but  he  at  last  agreed  to  do  so,  if  our 
great  father  will  permit  him ;  we  know  our  father  loves  his  red 
children,  and  will  not  let  them  suffer  for  want  of  a  good  agent. 
This  is  our  talk,  which  we  want  you  to  send  to  our  father,  the 
President,  hoping  that  we  may  receive  an  early  answer." 

3A* 


606  THE    ARMY    AND    WAVY 

The  council  then  adjourned.  Those  to  whom  this  speech 
|  was  addressed,  deemed  it  incumbent  on  them  to  disclose  their 
opinions  upon  a  subject  which  appeared  to  be,  in  the  Indian's 
estimation,  so  vastly  important;  and  they  accordingly  an 
nexed  the  following,  signed  by  nine  of  the  officers : 

"  The  undersigned  beg  leave  to  be  excused  for  expressing 
their  opinion  on  the  foregoing  proceedings.  The  subject  of  a 
separate  agency  has  been  an  engrossing  and  all-important  one 
with  the  Seminoles ;  they  attach  to  it  a  consideration  which, 
perhaps,  it  does  not  merit ;  but  we  are  persuaded  that  its  con 
cession  to  them  will  be  attended  with  the  happiest  results  :  it 
will  confirm  those  who  are  already  friendly,  and  be  the  means 
of  conciliating  others  who  are  hostile,  or  at  least  neutral. 
Under  this  view  of  the  case,  we  cheerfully  unite  with  the 
foregoing  chiefs,  that  General  Wiley  Thompson  be  appointed 
their  resident  agent. 

"  In  justice  to  General  Thompson,  we  feel  called  upon  to 
say,  that  he  has  done  everything  in  his  power  to  dissuade 
the  Indians  from  the  course  they  have  pursued  in  this  matter ; 
he  assured  them  that  they  would  have  at  the  west  an  agent 
who  would  do  them  justice,  and  protect  them  in  their  rights ; 
and,  further,  that  it  was  an  appointment  he  did  not  solicit, 
but  could  not  reject,  if,  by  accepting  it,  he  could  advance  their 
interests  and  facilitate  their  future  operations." 

This  document  was  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  by 
General  Clinch,  with  the  following  pertinent  remarks : — 

"  In  forwarding  to  you  the  enclosed  document,  I  beg  leave 
to  make  a  few  remarks,  although  the  subject  to  which  it  re 
lates  is,  itself,  of  no  great  importance,  yet  it  may  have  an 
important  bearing  on  the  present  quiet  and  future  happiness 
of  these  children  of  the  forest.  They  are,  from  peculiar  cir 
cumstances  and  long  habit,  suspicious  of  the  white  man.  It 
is  hard  to  induce  them  to  believe  that  all  the  efforts  and  ope 
rations  of  the  government  are  intended  for  their  own  good. 
The  question  of  a  separate  agency  was  again  and  again 
brought  forward  by  the  chiefs  last  winter  and  spring,  and 
appeared  to  be  considered  by  them  of  the  first  importance  to 
their  future  interest,  prosperity  and  happiness ;  and  it  was  at 


THE    FLORIDA    WAR.  607 


the  earnest  and  repeated  solicitations  of  the  chiefs,  Lieutenant 
Harris  and  myself  consented  to  incorporate  their  wishes  on 
that  subject  in  the  arrangement  made  with  them  in  April 
last.  Great  pains  have  been  taken  to  convince  them,  that  the 
agent  for  the  Creeks  west  of  the  Mississippi  would  watch 
over  and  protect  them  and  their  interests,  in  common  with 
that  of  the  Creeks,  but  I  fear  without  effect.  It  is  a  law  of 
nature  for  the  weak  to  be  suspicious  of  the  strong.  They  say 
that  the  Creeks  are  much  more  numerous  and  powerful  than 
they  are;  that  there  is  a  question  of  property,  involving  the 
right  to  a  great  many  negroes,  to  be  settled  between  them  and 
the  Creeks;  and  they  are  afraid  that  justice  will  not  be  done 
them,  unless  they  can  have  a  separate  agent  to  watch  over 
and  protect  their  interests.  The  manly  and  straight-forward 
course  pursued  towards  them  by  General  Thompson,  appears 
to  have  gained  him  their  confidence,  and  they  have  again  pe 
titioned  the  President  to  make  him  their  agent,  and  have  re 
quested  me,  through  the  immediate  commanding  officer  at 
fort  King,  to  forward  their  petition,  with  such  remarks  as  my 
long  acquaintance  with  their  views  and  interests  would  au 
thorize  me  to  make.  The  experiment  they  are  about  to  make 
is  one  of  the  deepest  interest  to  them.  They  are  leaving  the 
birth-place  of  their  wives  and  children,  and  many  of  them 
the  graves  of  those  they  held  most  dear ;  and  is  it  not  natural 
that  they  should  feel,  and  feel  deeply,  on  such  a  trying  occa 
sion,  and  wish  to  have  some  one  they  had  previously  known, 
whom  they  could  lean  on,  and  look  up  to  for  protection  ?" 

This  earnest  and  pathetic  appeal  to  the  government  having 
been  answered  by  a  negative,  the  Indians  prepared  for  war. 

By  giving  a  few  sketches  of  battles,  the  reader  may  form 
as  good  an  idea  of  the  character  of  this  war  as  if  he  would 
nod  his  way  through  a  whole  volume  on  the  subject.  We 
give  those  sketches  accordingly. 

On  the  20th  of  December,  1835,  Colonels  Parish  and  Reed, 
at  the  head  of  about  100  men,  from  Leon  and  Gadsden  coun 
ties,  took  up  a  line  of  march  for  the  purpose  of  reconnoitring 
the  battle-ground  of  the  18th,  and  gathering  the  remains  of 
the  baggage,  &c.  When  near  the  place,  they  discovered  the 


608  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 

house  of  a  Mr.  Hogan  on  fire,  and  the  Indians  about  leaving 
it.  On  the  arrival  of  the  advance-guard  at  the  house,  a  party 
of  27  of  the  Seminoles  kept  them  amused  until  the  main  body 
came  up,  when  they  retreated  to  a  small  hammock,  which 
was  quickly  surrounded  by  the  troops,  leaving  them  no  chance 

I  of  escape.  Both  of  the  brave  colonels  rushed  into  the  ham 
mock  at  the  head  of  a  detachment,  and,  in  less  than  fifteen 

I  minutes,  killed  all  but  four  of  the  enemy.     The  whites. had 

|  four  very  severely  wounded  in  this  engagement. 

Three  of  the  hostile  party  came  into  the  camp  of  the  friendly 

|  Indians,  near  fort  Brooke,  on  the  evening  of  the  22d  of  De 
cember,  for  the  purpose,  they  said,  of  delivering  a  talk  from 
Micanopy,  of  a  pacific  or  neutral  character.  Whilst  engaged 
in  full  council  with  Kolata  Amathla  and  the  other  chiefs  and 
wrarriors,  Major  Belton  was  informed  of  the  circumstance, 

[  and  he  ordered  them  to  be  detained  and  carried  to  the  fort. 
When  they  found  themselves  ensnared,  they  no  longer  con 
cealed  their  true  character.  Finding  it  necessary  to  commu 
nicate  with  General  Clinch,  then  at  fort  King,  Major  Belton 
sent  the  youngest  and  best  runner  with  a  letter,  which,  being 
upon  the  subject  of  the  premeditated  attack  of  the  31st  of 
December,  involved  many  details.  To  guard  against  trea 
chery,  as  the  road  passed  through  Abraham's  lands,  Major 
Belton  stated  numbers  and  other  material  facts  in  French. 
Two  days  beyond  the  time  allowed,  the  messenger  returned 
to  fort  Brooke,  bringing  a  talk  from  Hitchiti  Mico  and  Abra 
ham,  stating  that  his  (Major  Belton's)  talk  was  good,  and  that 
he  might  expect  them  on  the  30th.  It  was  then  evident  that 
the  Indians  had  intercepted  the  letter,  and  were  well  aware 
of  the  intended  attack. 

Major  Dade  was  present  at  the  council  of  the  warriors  on 
that  evening,  and  the  proceedings  being  interpreted  to  him, 
he  expressed  every  confidence  in  Indian  character,  and  his 
conviction  of  the  sincerity  which  governed  the  friendly  chiefs ; 
he  also  believed  that  Abraham,  a  domestic  of  Micanopy,  had 
great  influence  over  his  chief. 

The  expected  reinforcement  of  39  men  from  Key  West, 
with  the  gallant  Brevet-Major  Dade,  having  arrived  on  the 


THE    FLORIDA    WAR.  609 


21st,  no  time  was  lost  in  preparing  the  two  companies,  ordered 
by  General  Clinch,  on  the  16th,  to  form  a  junction  with  the 
forces  at  fort  King.  Accordingly,  at  six  o'clock  A.  M.,  of  the 
24th,  Captain  Gardiner's  company  C,  2d  artillery,  and  Cap 
tain  Eraser's  company  B,  3d  infantry,  making  fifty  bayonets 
each,  with  eight  officers,  taking  with  them  ten  days'  provi 
sions,  one  six-pounder,  drawn  by  four  oxen,  and  one  light  one- 
horse  wagon,  were  placed  in  the  line  of  march  for  that  post, 
under  command  of  Captain  Gardiner. 

In  the  chain  of  events,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  notice  the 
change  which  occurred  in  the  command  of  this  ill-fated  de 
tachment,  since  it  shows  the  noble  and  generous  impulses  of 
his  heart,  and  is  so  perfectly  characteristic  of  Major  Dade. 
From  his  company  A,  4th  infantry,  amounting  to  39  men,  the 
two  companies  of  Captains  Fraser  and  Gardiner  were  made 
up.  Captain  Gardiner's  lady  was  exceedingly  ill,  and  it  was 
much  feared  that  if  he  then  left  her  she  would  die.  He  how 
ever  made  every  preparation  for  a  start,  and  was  present  at 
reveille"  on  the  morning  of  the  24th,  and  mounted  his  horse  in 
front  of  the  detachment.  At  this  juncture,  Major  Dade  vol 
untarily  proposed  to  Major  Belton,  the  commanding  officer  at 
the  post,  that  he  (Dade)  should  take  Captain  Gardiner's  place. 
The  proposition  was  immediately  accepted,  and  the  command 
moved  on.  Before  they  had  proceeded  far,  Captain  Gardiner 
ascertained  that  the  transport  schooner  Motto  was  on  the  eve 
of  leaving  for  Key  West,  where  Mrs.  Gardiner's  father  and 
children  were ;  he  concluded  to  place  Mrs.  Gardiner  on  board 
the  vessel,  and  gratify  his  wishes  by  going  with  his  company. 
He  soon  after  joined  it,  but  the  peculiar  relation  in  which  he 
now  stood  to  Major  Dade,  induced  him  to  let  the  latter  con 
tinue  in  command. 

The  oxen  which  drew  the  field-piece  having  broken  down 
when  only  four  miles  from  fort  Brooke,  the  command  pro 
ceeded  to  a  branch  of  the  Hillsborough  river,  six  miles  from 
the  fort,  and  there  encamped  for  the  night ;  from  that  place, 
Major  Dade  sent  an  express  to  Major  Belton,  and  requested 
him  to  forward  the  field-piece  as  soon  as  possible.  Horses 
were,  therefore,  immediately  purchased,  and  the  piece  reached 

77 


610  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


the  column  that  night  about  nine  o'clock.  Taking  up  the  line 
of  march,  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  they  reached  the  Hills- 
borough  river,  but  found  the  bridge  had  been  burnt  arid  de 
stroyed,  and  they  encamped  there  until  morning.  The  diffi 
culty  of  crossing  here  retarded  their  movements  very  much, 
and  on  the  26th,  they  made  but  six  miles.  On  the  27th,  they 
crossed  the  Big  and  Little  Ouithlacoochee  rivers,  and  en 
camped  about  three  miles  north  of  the  latter  branch.  Up  to 
this  tirn^  Major  Dade,  being  aware  that  the  enemy  was  con 
tinually  v  atching  his  movements,  had  adopted  every  precau 
tion  against  surprise  or  attack  at  night,  by  throwing  up  a 
small  breastwork.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  28th,  the  ill- 
fated  party  were  again  in  motion,  and  when  about  four  miles 
from  their  last  camp,  the  advanced-guard  passed  a  plat  of 
high  grass,  and,  having  reached  a  thick  cluster  of  palmettos, 
about  fifty  yards  beyond  the  grass,  a  very  heavy  and  destruc 
tive  fire  was  opr-^d  upon  them  by  the  unseen  enemy,  at  a 
distance  of  fifty  or  sixty  yards,  which  literally  mowed  them 
down,  and  threw  the  main  column  into  the  greatest  confusion. 
Soon  recovering,  however,  on  observing  the  enemy  rise  in 
front  of  them,  they  made  a  charge,  and  plied  their  fire  so  un 
erringly.  f^nt  the  Indians  gave  way,  but  not  until  muskets 
were  ch:  J,  knives  and  bayonets  were  used,  and  the  com 
batants  were  clinched ;  they  were  finally  driven  off  to  a  con 
siderable  distance.  Major  Dade  having  fallen  dead  on  the 
first  fire,  the  command  devolved  upon  Captain  Gardiner,  and 
as  he  discovered  the  Indians  gathering  again  about  half  a  mile 
off,  he  directed  a  breastwork  to  be  thrown  up  for  their  pro 
tection;  but  the  enemy  allowed  them  so  little  time,  that  it 
was  necessarily  very  low  (only  two  and  a  half  feet  high)  and 
imperfect.  The  Indians  being  reinforced,  and  having  stationed 
about  a  hundred  of  their  mounted  warriors  on  the  opposite 
side  to  cut  off  retreat,  they  slowly  and  cautiously  advanced 
to  a  second  attack,  yelling  and  whooping  in  so  terrific  a  man 
ner  as  to  drown  the  reports  of  the  fire-arms.  The  troops  soon 
began  to  make  their  great  gun  speak,  which  at  first  kept  the 
enemy  at  bay,  but  soon  surrounding  the  little  breastwork, 
they  shot  down  every  man  who  attempted  to  work  the  gun, 


THE    FLORIDA    WAR.  611 

so  that  it  was  rendered  almost  useless  to  them.  One  by  one 
these  brave  and  heroic  men  fell  by  each  other's  side  in  the 
gallant  execution  of  their  duty  to  their  country.  Being 
obliged,  by  the  inefficient  breastwork,  to  lay  down  to  load  and 
fire,  the  poor  fellows  laboured  under  great  disadvantages,  as, 
in  the  haste  with  which  the  work  was  constructed,  they  se 
lected  the  lowest  spot  about  that  part,  and  consequently  gave 
the  enemy  double  the  advantage  over  them.  Major  Dade  and 
his  horse,  and  Captain  Fraser,  with  nearly  every  man  of  the 
advanced-guard,  fell  dead  on  the  first  volley,  besides  a  number 
of  the  main  column.  Lieutenant  Mudge  received  a  mortal 
wound  the  first  fire,  and,  on  gaining  the  breastwork,  breathed 
his  last.  Lieutenant  Keayes  had  both  arms  broken,  also,  on 
the  first  attack ;  and  one  of  the  men  bound  them  up  with  a 
handkerchief  and  placed  him  against  a  tree  near  the  breast 
work,  where  he  was  soon  after  tomahawked  by  a  negro. 
Lieutenant  Henderson  received  a  severe  wound  in  the  left 
arm,  but  he  heroically  stuck  to  the  fight,  and  fired  thirty  or 
forty  shots  before  he  died.  Dr.  Gatlin  posted  himself  behind 
a  log  in  the  centre  of  the  work,  and  exclaimed  that  he  had 
four  barrels  for  them ;  but,  poor  fellow,  he  soon  ceased  to  use 
them,  as  he  was  shot  early  in  the  second  attack.  Towards 
the  close  of  the  battle,  poor  Gardiner  received  his  death-shot 
in  the  breast,  outside  of  the  enclosure,  and  fell  close  to  Lieu 
tenant  Mudge ;  the  command  of  the  little  party  then  fell  on 
Lieutenant  Bassinger,  who  observed,  on  seeing  Captain  Gar 
diner  fall,  "  I  ani  the  only  officer  left,  boys ;  we  must  do  the 
best  we  can."  He  continued  at  his  post  about  an  hour  after 
Gardiner's  death,  when  he  received  a  shot  in  the  thigh,  which 
brought  him  down.  Shortly  after  this,  their  ammunition  gave 
out,  and  the  Indians  broke  into  the  enclosure ;  and  every  man 
being  either  killed,  or  so  badly  wounded  as  to  be  unable  to 
make  resistance,  they  took  off  their  fire-arms  and  whatever  else 
would  be  of  service  to  them,  and  retreated.  Some  time  after 
the  Indians  left,  the  negroes  came  inside  of  the  breastwork, 
and  began  to  mutilate  the  bodies  of  those  who  showed  the 
least  signs  of  life,  when  Bassinger  sprang  upon  his  feet  and 
implored  them  to  spare  him ;  they  heeded  not  his  supplica- 


612  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


tions,  but  struck  him  down  with  their  hatchets,  cut  open  his 
breast,  and  tore  out  his  heart  and  lungs ;  such  is  the  report 
of  Clarke,  the  only  survivor.  However,  I  must  confess  that 
the  appearance  of  the  body  on  the  20th  of  February  did  not 
seem  to  indicate  that  such  violence  had  been  committed  on 
him,  although  one  of  the  slain  (a  private)  was  found  in  a, 
truly  revolting  condition — a  part  of  his  body  had  been  cut  off 
and  crammed  into  his  mouth  I  The  negroes  stripped  all  the 
officers,  and  some  of  the  men,  of  their  clothing,  but  left  many 
valuables  upon  their  persons,  which  were  discovered,  upon 
examination,  by  Major  Mountfort,  of  General  Games'  com 
mand,  and  an  account  carefully  taken  by  the  Major,  in  order 
to  transfer  the  articles  respectively  to  the  relatives  of  the  de 
ceased.  All  the  military  stores  were  carried  off  except  the 
field-piece,  which  they  spiked  and  conveyed  to  a  pond. 

Again,  at  another  time  and  place :  orders  were  issued  for 
one-third  of  the  command  to  remain  on  watch  inside  of  the 
encampment,  while  one-third  was  engaged  in  strengthening 
the  defences ;  a  detachment  of  200  of  the  Louisiana  volun 
teers,  under  the  expert  marksman  and  most  excellent  officer, 
Captain  Thistle,  was  detailed  for  the  erection  of  a  block-house 
near  the  river,  while  others  were  engaged  in  preparing  ca 
noes,  &c.  Everything  went  on  quietly  until  about  ten  o'clock, 
when  the  working  parties  were  fired  upon,  and  simultane 
ously  a  heavy  volley  of  at  least  one  thousand  guns  poured 
into  three  sides  of  the  encampment,  the  one  nearest  the  river 
being  the  only  one  not  assailed.  Numbers  of  the  enemy, 
concealed  by  the  palmettos  and  small  bushes  on  every  side  of 
the  work,  came  so  near,  that  they  wounded  the  troops  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  camp,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  yards. 
Finding  that  they  could  not  induce  the  general  to  leave  his 
position,  the  enemy  set  fire  to  the  grass  and  palmettos,  with  a 
view  to  burn  the  breastwork  down,  but  suddenly  the  wind 
shifted  and  carried  the  destruction  towards  themselves.  The 
firing  continued  with  unabated  fury  for  two  hours,  when  the 
enemy  retired ;  and,  as  the  men  were  instructed  by  the  gene 
ral,  in  person,  not  to  expend  their  ammunition  unless  "  you 
can  see  the  white  of  your  enemy's  eye,"  it  is  presumable  that 


THE    FLORIDA    WAR.  613 


their  loss  must  have  been  heavy.  The  bugle  sounded  a  retreat, 
when  the  working  party  under  Captain  Thistle,  returned  to  camp 
without  suffering  any  loss  ;  but  the  brave  captain  was  of  opinion 
that  the  enemy  suffered  very  much  from  his  little  party,  they  hav 
ing  concealed  themselves  in  the  hammock  until  the  Indians  came 
up  close  to  them,  without  knowing  that  their  enemy  was  for 
fighting  them  in  their  own  way — when  Captain  Thistle  ordered 
"fire,"  and  many  were  observed  to  fall.  The  captain  is  a  man  of 
strict  veracity,  and  he  assured  the  General  he  "had  a  bead  upon 
three." 

The  war  progessed  year  after  year,  until  power  usurped  the 
place  of  justice.  The  strong  now  hold  by  right  of  conquest, 
and  "THE  FLORIDA  WAR  is  ENDED  !" 


614  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1822. 


THE  MEXICAN  WAR 

PART  VI. 

CHAPTER  I. 

ANNEXATION  OF  TEXAS. 

Revolution — Independence  and  annexation  of  Texas — Hostile  attitude  of  Mexico — Army 
of  Occupation — Command  given  to  General  Taylor — Encampment  at  Corpus  Chnsti — 
March  thence  to  Point  Isabel. 

IT  would  be  a  departure  from  the  general  design  of  this  work 
to  enter  into  the  full  details  of  events  which  produced  the  late 
war  between  the  United  States  and  Mexico.  It  would  be  still 
more  out  of  place,  here,  to  discuss  the  propriety  or  impropriety  of 
that  appeal  to  the  last  resort  of  nations.  Our  task  is  the  less 
invidious  and  much  more  grateful  one  of  attempting  to  describe 
the  gallant  actions  by  which  that  war  was  signalized  ;  and  the 
means  by  which  the  glorious  area  of  republican  liberty  has  been 
extended  to  the  golden  shores  of  the  mild  but  mighty  Pacific. 

When  time  shall  have  soothed  the  angry  feelings  of  political 
strife  thereby  engendered  ; — when  the  faithful  and  laborious  histo 
rian  shall  thus  be  enabled  to  trace  acts  to  their  true  motives ; — 
when  the  practical  results  of  the  measure  itself  shall  have  either 
fully  justified  the  hopes  of  its  friends,  or  verified  the  disastrous 
prediction  of  its  opponents ; — then,  and  not  till  then,  will  the 
general  voice  unite  in  pronouncing  the  Mexican  War  to  have  been 
a  great  act  of  national  justice  and  self-vindication,  or,  of  the 
reverse.  Then  will  the  acquisition  of  Texas,  New  Mexico,  and 
California  be  branded  as  one  more  instance  of  that  "land-steal 
ing,"  for  which  the  anglo-saxon  race  are  said  to  have  such  a  mark- 


1836  ]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  615 

ed  propensity  ;  or  it  will  take  rank  on  the  brightest  page  of  our 
annals,  along  with  the  purchase  of  Louisiana  and  Florida,  as  a 
fruit  of  the  wisest  statesmanship  and  the  most  far-seeing  policy. 

In  1822  Mexico,  after  a  glorious  struggle,  which  raised,  in  the 
hearts  of  the  friends  of  freedom,  hopes  that  her  subsequent  career 
has  sadly  disappointed,  succeeded  in  establishing  her  independence 
from  the  rule  of  Spain.  Texas,  one  of  the  liberated  provinces, 
dissatisfied  with  the  mode  in  which  the  national  affairs  were  ad 
ministered,  and  its  dearly  acquired  rights  were  restricted  ;  and 
especially  dissatisfied  under  the  military  tyranny  of  Santa  Anna, 
who  in  1835  obtained  the  supreme  power,  at  once  flew  to  arms 
and  asserted  its  independence. 

The  contest  between  the  revolted  Province  and  the  Mexican 
nation  commenced  in  September,  1835,  and  may  be  said  to  have 
terminated  on  the  21st  of  April,  1836,  at  the  battle  of  San  Ja- 
cinto ;  where,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Samuel  Houston, 
formerly  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  the  Mexicans  were  de 
feated,  and  their  General,  Santa  Anna,  taken  prisoner.  After 
this  brilliant  achievement — the  war  existing  only  in  name — the 
people  of  Texas  proceeded  to  organize  a  National  Government, 
and  were  recognized  as  an  independent  member  of  the  family  cf 
Nations,  by  most  of  the  civilized  countries  of  the  world  ;  and 
among  the  first,  by  the  United  States. 

Unfortunately,  however,  the  sparse  population  and  slender  means 
o(  the  young  Nation,  formed  a  basis  too  narrow  for  the  broad  and 
lofty  designs  of  its  first  generation  of  statesmen.  Pecuniary  em 
barrassment,  and  consequent  want  of  confidence  in  the  permanency 
of  its  existence,  soon  began  to  cripple  its  energies  and  retard  its 
progress.  In  this  state  of  affairs,  the  readiest  and  safest  mode  of 
extrication  that  presented  itself,  was  the  annexation  of  Texas  to 
our  Union.  This  proposition,  broached  very  soon  after  the  Decla 
ration  of  Texan  independence,  was  at  first  received  with  disfavor 
by  a  great  majority  of  the  people  of  the  United  States-  But  it 
continued  to  be  kept  before  them,  and  agitated  from  year  to  year, 
still  meeting  with  less  and  less  repugnance,  till  1844,  when  it  was 
made  one  of  the  great  issues  in  the  Presidential  election.  The 
Party  that  had  at  last  espoused  it,  having  elected  their  candidate 


616  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1845. 


to  the  Chief  Magistracy,  Congress  on  the  first  of  March,  1845, 
sanctioned  the  measure  of  annexation  ;  and  thus,  at  the  end  of  ten 
years  from  the  date  of  her  revolt  as  a  Mexican  province,  Texas 
became  a  sovereign  and  United  State  in  our  great  confederacy. 

The  adoption  of  this  decided  measure  could  not  but  produce 
that  crisis  in  the  intercourse  between  the  United  States  and  Mex 
ico,  which  all  reflecting  minds  had  for  years  foreseen  to  be  in 
evitable,  from  the  long  list  of  grievances  complained  of  by  both 
parties,  and  from  the  haughty  and  overbearing  character  ot  the 
Mexican  rulers.  The  Mexican  Minister  at  once  left  Washing 
ton.  Matamoras  and  Mier,  Mexican  posts  on  the  right  bank  of 
the  Rio  Grande  and  Monterey,  a  strong  town  some  distance  back 
from  that  river,  were  immediately  placed  in  a  state  of  defence. 
The  avowed  object  of  the  Mexican  government  was  :  first,  to 
subdue  and  occupy  the  debatable  ground  between  the  Rio  Grande 
which  Texas  asserted,  and  the  J\ueces  which  Mexico  claimed,  to 
be  the  boundary  of  the  former  province  ;  and  then  to  follow  up 
this  step  by  the  re-conquest  of  the  whole  of  Texas. 

To  meet  and  repel  this  attempt,  at  once  became  the  imperative 
and  undoubted  duty  of  the  Executive  of  the  United  States.  Con 
gress  having  admitted  Texas  into  the  Union,  it  was  the  President's 
sworn  duty  "to  take  care  that  the  laws  be  faithfully  executed," 
of  which  that  for  the  admission  of  Texas  was  one.  Accordingly 
in  May,  1845,  Brigadier  General  Zachary  Taylor,  who  had  dis 
tinguished  himself  during  the  concluding  campaigns  of  the  Florida 
war,  and  who  was  then  stationed  at  Fort  Gibson,  received  orders  j 
to  "hold  himself  in  readiness"  with  his  command,  to  protect  |j 
Texas,  as  a  part  of  the  United  States,  "from  foreign  invasion  and 
Indian  incursions."  In  July  he  was  directed  "to  proceed"  to  the  i] 
mouth  of  the  Sabine,  or  such  other  point  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
within  the  State  of  Texas,  "to  the  extent  that  had  been  occupied 
by  the  people  of  Texas,"  as  might  appear  suitable  for  the  accom 
plishment  of  the  service  in  view.  The  force  placed  under  his 
command,  were  the  3rd  and  4th  regiments  of  U.  S.  Infantry,  the 
2d  regiment  of  Dragoons,  and  a  park  of  Artillery,  constituting 
in  all,  fifteen  hundred  men. 

In  August,  Gen.  Taylor's  command,  styled  "the  Army  of  Oc- 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  617 

cupation,"  arrived  by  way  of  New  Orleans,  at  Corpus  Christi, 
on  the  right  or  southern  bank  of  the  Nueces.  There  it  remained 
encamped  for  six  months,  during  which  time  it  was  reinforced  by 
seven  companies  of  the  7th  Infantry,  under  Major  Brown,  and 
subsequently  by  the  5th  and  8th  regiments  of  Infantry. 

On  the  8th  of  March  1846,  the  camp  at  Corpus  Christi  was 
broken  up,  and  the  Infantry  and  Cavalry  took  up  the  line  of  march 
for  the  Rio  Grande,  across  the  cheerless  wilderness  which  sep 
arates  that  stream  from  the  Nueces.  At  the  same  time  the  heavy 
artillery  was  sent  by  sea  to  Point  Isabel,  a  small  place  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  but  on  the  left  or  north  bank  of  that 
stream. 

On  the  23rd  of  March,  Gen.  Taylor  arrived  with  the  Cavalry 
at  Point  Isabel ;  while  Gen.  Worth,  with  the  Infantry,  continued 
on  the  route  towards  Matamoras.  At  the  same  moment,  the 
supplies  sent  from  Corpus  Christi  by  sea,  also  arrived  at  the 
Point.  The  events  which  followed,  forming  the  actual  commence 
ment  of  the  campaign,  will  be  reserved  for  the  next  Chapter. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FORT  BROWN. 

Construction  of  Fort  Brown— Ampudia  succeeded  by  Arista — Death  of  Gol.  Cross — 
Blockade  of  the  Rio  Grande— Capture  of  Captain  Thornton  and  his  Party— Communication 
with  Point  Isabel  interrupted — Taylor's  march  to  open  it — Attack  on  Fort  Brown — Death 
of  Major  Brown — Cessation  of  the  attack — Remarks. 

ON  the  28th  of  March,  the  Army  of  Occupation  reached  the 
left  bank  of  the  Rio  Grande,  opposite  Matamoras,  where  a  per 
manent  defence,  afterwards  called  Fort  Brown,  was  constructed 
under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Mansfield.  It  was  capable  of  ac 
commodating  2000  men  ;  had  six  Bastions ;  and  completely  com 
manded  the  town  of  Matamoras. 

A  short  time  after  the  occupation  of  Fort  Brown  by  our  troops, 
a  correspondence  took  place  between  General  Ampudia  and  Gen 
eral  Taylor,  in  which  the  former  demanded  that  the  Americans 
should,  within  twenty-four  hours,  break  up  their  camp  and  retire 


618  THE  MEXICAN    WAR.  [1846. 

to  the  other  bank  of  the  Nueces  River,  while  the  two  Govern 
ments  were  regulating  the  pending  question  in  relation  to  Texas; 
"and  threatening  war  in  case  of  refusal."  This  demand  was, 
of  course,  refused  as  incompatible  with  General  Taylor's  duties, 
and  with  the  rights  of  his  country;  and  he  continued  quietly  but 
rapidly  to  complete  his  works.  Soon  afterwards  Ampudia  was 
superceded  by  Gen.  Arista,  Commander-in-chief  ot  the  Mexican 
Army  ;  and  larger  additions  were  made  to  the  force  of  the  enemy 
at  Matamoras. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  Col.  Cross,  Deputy  Quarter  Master 
General  of  the  Army,  having  ridden  out  of  Camp  for  exercise, 
was  waylaid  and  killed  by  one  of  the  numerous  irregular  bodies 
of  Cavalry,  belonging  to  the  Mexican  Army.  This  was  the 
first  blood  shed  in  the  war. 

On  the  19th  Gen.  Taylor  declared  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande 
to  be  blockaded,  having  heard  of  the  arrival  there  of  some  ves 
sels  with  supplies  to  the  eraeny.  This  measure  produced  another 
correspondence  between  the  Generals,  without,  however,  causing 
the  American  Commander  to  remove  the  blockade. 

The  very  large  accession  that  had  been  recently  made  to  the 
enemy's  strength  at  Matamoras,  and  the  reported  appearance  of 
strong  bodies  of  Mexicans  on  the  route  between  Fort  Brown  and 
Point  Isabel,  caused  the  position  of  the  small  American  Army  at 
the  former  place  to  appear  somewhat  critical.  Captain  Kerr, 
with  a  troop  of  Dragoons,  was  sent  to  examine  the  road  to  Point 
Isabel,  but  returned  without  having  seen  any  of  the  enemy. — 
Captain  Thornton,  however,  who  had  been  despatched  on  a  sim 
ilar  service  with  a  squadron  along  the  bank  of  the  river  above 
the  camp,  had  a  different  fortune.  About  twenty-five  miles  from 
Fort  Brown,  he  and  his  command  were  surrounded  by  a  large 
body  of  Mexicans  under  Gen.  Torrejon.  Lieutenant  Mason,  a 
fine  young  officer,  was  killed  in  this  affair,  and  the  rest  of  the 
party  were  taken  prisoners.  They  were  carried  into  Matamoras, 
where  they  were  well  treated.  This  trifling  success  afforded 
much  ground  of  rejoicing  to  General  Arista  and  his  Army. 

The  communication  between  Fort  Brown  and  Point  Isabel, 
having  at  length  become  actually  interrupted,  by  the  presence 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  619 

of  considerable  bodies  of  Mexicans,  it  became  necessary  to  the 
safety  and  support  of  the  Army,  to  re-open  it.  Point  Isabel 
was  then  held  by  a  small  regular  torce  under  the  command  of 
Major  Munroe.  He  had,  a  few  days  before,  been  joined  by  a  small 
body  of  Texan  Volunteers,  among  whom  was  the  Ranger,  Cap 
tain  Walker,  who  soon  afterwards  became  celebrated  for  his  dar 
ing  exploits.  The  post  being  in  great  danger  of  capture  by  a 
large  Mexican  force,  this  brave  man  it  was,  who  perfomed  the 
perilous  enterprise  of  riding  through  a  country  swarming  writh  the 
enemy,  and  of  conveying  to  Gen.  Taylor  the  certain  intelligence 
of  the  danger  which  menaced  his  depot  on  the  coast. 

The  General  at  once  decided  to  march  to  the  relief  of  Point 
Isabel  with  his  whole  force,  except  the  7th  regiment  of  Infantry, 
and  Bragg's  and  Lowd's  Artillery,  which  were  left  to  garrison 
Fort  Brown,  under  the  command  of  Major  Jacob  Brown  ;  that  ! 
work  being  now  sufficiently  advanced  to  sustain  a  bombardment. 
He  marched  on  the  1st  of  May,  and  in  due  time  arrived  at  the 
threatened  Point,  where  he  remained  a  week,  placing  the  post 
in  a  state  of  defence.  While  thus  engaged,  the  bombardment  of 
Fort  Brown  was  distinctly  heard. 

The  attack  on  this  work,  which  may  be  called  the  actual  com 
mencement  of  hostilities,  was  made  on  the  3d  of  May,  and  con 
tinued,  with  little  interruption,  till  the  9th,  when  the  battles  oi 
of  Palo  Alto,  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  fought  by  the  Americans 
on  their  march  from  Point  Isabel  to  the  relief  of  the  Fort,  put 
an  end  to  the  bombardment.  The  Mexican  batteries  being  at 
first  placed  at  a  considerable  distance  from  his  works,  and  many 
of  his  own  guns  being  of  a  small  calibre,  Major  Brown  did  not 
make  much  return  to  their  fire.  This  comparative  silence  on  his 
part,  was  a  source  of  great  encouragement  to  the  enemy,  and  em 
boldened  their  attack. 

On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  a  battery  opened  on  the  Fort  from 
the  rear,  having  been  erected  by  the  enemy  during  the  night. 
At  the  same  time  .a  very  heavy  discharge  of  shot  and  shell  was 
kept  up  from  Matamoras,  in  front,  accompanied  by  a  cross  fire 
from  both  banks  of  the  river,  the  Fort  occupying  a  promontory 
formed  by  a  bend  in  the  stream.  At  this  time  it  was  that  the 


620  THE    MEXICAN   WAR.  [1846, 

gallant  Brown,  while  making  the  usual  round  of  the  works,  was 
struck  by  a  shell,  tearing  off  one  of  his  legs.  The  noble  veteran 
lingered  till  the  9th,  when  he  died  expressing  his  gratification 
that  the  country  had  not  lost  a  younger  man. 

The  apparent  quiesence  of  the  garrison,  who,  contrary  to  the 
Mexican  custom,  never  wasted  a  shot,  and  the  known  scantiness 
of  their  numbers,  emboldened  the  enemy,  and  flattered  them  with 
hopes  of  success.  Large  bodies  surrounded  the  works  night  and 
day,  and  new  batteries  were  erected. 

On  the  6th,  Captain  Hawkins,  who  had  succeeded  the  gallant 
Brown  in  command,  was  summoned  by  General  Arista  to  sur 
render.  The  demand  being  of  course  declined,  the  attack  was 
renewed  with  increased  vivacity.  The  ammunition  of  the  garrison 
beginning  to  fail,  little  reply  was  now  made  from  the  Fort  to  the 
fire  of  the  besiegers.  This  still  more  encouraged  them  with  hopes 
of  final  success. 

On  the  7th,  the  bombardment  was  renewed  more  vigorously 
than  ever,  though  with  little  effect,  so  far  as  loss  of  life  was 
concerned,  two  killed  and  ten  wounded,  constituting  the  total  loss 
during  this  long  continued  bombardment. 

On  the  8th,  the  attack  was  again  renewed,  but  slackened 
about  mid-day,  when  the  guns  of  Palo  Alto  were  heard  in  the 
intervals  of  the  fire  of  the  besiegers ;  nor  was  it  till  late  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  9th,  when  the  decisive  victory  of  Resaca  de  la 
Palma  had  completely  routed  Arista  and  his  army,  that  the  attack 
on  Fort  Brown  was  completely  abandoned. 

Then  it  was  that  the  garrison  so  long  besieged  and  cooped  up 
within  their  well-defended  works,  had  the  gratification  of  behold 
ing,  from  the  ramparts,  the  vanquished  fugitives  from  the  field  of 
their  own  countrymen's  victory,  fleeing  past  to  plunge  into  the 
stream  of  the  Rio  Grande,  in  their  flight  to  Matamoras.  Through 
out  the  night  the  headlong  panic  continued,  and  hundreds  sank 
beneath  the  wave  that  separated  them  from  the  haven  of  their 
wishes  ;  but  with  the  day  had  terminated  the  pursuit  of  the  con 
querors. 

The  defence  of  Fort  Brown  thus  made  good,  was  not  only  the 
first  in  order,  but  one  of  the  most  meritorious,  of  the  many  bril- 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  621 

liant  achievements  of  the  war.  With  the  slight  exception  of  oc 
casional  campaigns  against  the  Indians,  our  countrymen,  for  more 
than  thirty  years,  had  had  no  experience  in  war.  More  than  an 
ordinary  generation  had  elapsed  since  the  American  Army  had 
met  a  civilized  foe  in  the  field.  Nor  had  our  troops  ever  at  any 
period  had  much  experience  either  in  the  attack  or  defence  of  for 
tified  posts.  Hence,  as  well  as  from  the  supposed  vivacity  and 
impatience  of  our  natural  character,  many  had  argued  the  unfit- 
ness  of  the  troops  of  the  United  States  to  sustain  the  dull  priva 
tions  and  harrassing  trials  of  a  siege.  But  the  whole  history  of 
Fort  Brown,  from  its  first  construction  to  the  final  repulse  of  the 
enemy,  established  not  only  our  national  aptitude  for  military  en 
gineering,  but  our  ability  to  defend  the  works  which  our  mechan 
ical  skill  enables  us  to  construct. 


CHAPTER  III. 

PALO  ALTO. 

March  from  Point  Isabel — Bivouac — Approach  co  the  enemy — His  position  and  force — 
Reconnoissance — American  order  of  battle— Battle  begun  by  Artillery — Mexican  charge 
of  Cavalry — Infantry  repulsed — RinggoU  mortally  wounded— Battle  interrupted  by  smoke 
of  burning  grass— Duncan's  Light  Artillery— Last  effort  and  retreat  of  the  enemy— Killed 
and  wounded — Council  of  Officers. 

AFTER  spending  a  week  in  making  the  necessary  arrangements 
at  Point  Isabel,  and  while  the  attack  on  Fort  Brown  was  at  its 
height,  Gen.  Taylor,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  7th  of  May,  march 
ed  from  the  Point  to  the  relief  of  the  Fort  ;  the  distance  between 
the  two  posts  being  about  thirty  miles.  The  force  with  which 
he  took  the  field,  consisted  of  twenty-three  hundred  men  of  all 
arms  ; — viz  :  1,800  Infantry,  200  Cavalry,  and  the  remainder 
chiefly  Artillery,  including  the  flying  Parks  of  Ringgold  and 
Duncan. 

During  the  night  of  the  7th,  the  troops  bivouacked  in  the  open 
air,  about  7  miles  from  Point  Isabel ;  and  at  dawn  of  the  8th, 
resumed  their  march,  which  was  continued  till  noon,  without  inter 
ruption.  When  about  to  halt  for  the  mid-day  meal,  the  scouts 
reported  the  enemy  to  be  posted  in  great  force  in  front,  on  the 


622  THE    MEXICAN   WAR.  [1846. 

other  side  of  a  prairie  of  about  three  miles  in  width.  After  advan 
cing  a  short  distance  further,  having  reached  some  pools  of  fresh 
water,  the  General  ordered  an  hour's  halt,  to  rest  his  men  and 
replenish  their  canteens.  While  this  wise  and  necessary  measure 
was  in  progress,  the  wagon-train  was  formed  into  a  solid  square 
in  the  rear. 

At  two  o'clock  the  order  to  advance  was  given,  and  was  obeyed 
by  the  troops  with  a  spirit  and  alacrity  that  were  the  sure  har 
bingers  of  victory.  While  crossing  the  intervening  prairie,  the 
enemy's  force  consisting  of  9000  men,  came  into  view.  His 
position  was  in  front  of  a  wood,  which  bounded  the  farther  side 
of  the  plain,  and  hence  took  the  name  of  Palo  Alto,  or  high  tvoods, 
in  contrast  with  the  chapparal,  or  low  and  tangled  moss  of  shrub 
bery  and  thorns,  which  covers  much  of  the  rest  of  the  ground. 

With  the  open  prairie  in  front,  the  Mexican  commander  had 
posted  his  right,  so  that  its  extreme  rested  on  a  moderate  rise, 
clothed  with  the  woods  before  spoken  of,  and  the  impassable  un 
dergrowth  of  that  part  of  the  country.  His  left  occupying  the 
road,  extended  to  an  impassable  salt-marsh.  One  thousand  horse, 
placed  at  the  extremity  of  each  wing,  were  prepared  to  turn  the 
American  flanks  ;  and  twelve  pieces  of  cannon  were  placed  at  in 
tervals  along  the  line  of  their  front.  This  disposition  of  the  enemy 
was  reconnoitered  and  reported  to  Gen.  Taylor,  by  Lieut.  Blake 
of  the  Topographical  Engineers,  who  had  in  the  most  gallant 
manner  rode  within  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  the  hostile 
line.  There  dismounting,  he  coolly  examined  the  Mexican  posi 
tion  through  his  spy  glass  ;  and  then  leisurely  traversing  their 
whole  front,  accurately  noted  the  disposition  of  every  part  of 
their  force. 

Gen.  Taylor's  line  of  battle  was  as  follows :  The  right  com 
manded  by  Col.  Twiggs,  was  composed  of  the  5th  Infantry  under 
Col.  M'Intosh  ;  Ringgold's  Artillery  ;  the  3d  Infantry  under 
Capt.  Morris  ;  two  eighteen-pounders  under  Lieut.  Churchill ; 
the  3d  Artillery  ;  the  4th  Infantry  under  Major  Allen  ;  and  two 
squadrons  of  Dragoons  under  Captains  Kerr  and  May.  The  left 
wing,  commanded  by  Col.  Belknap,  consisted  of  a  Battalion  of 
Artillery  under  Col.  Childs ;  Duncan's  Light  Artillery  ;  and  the 
8th  Infantry  under  Capt.  Montgomery. 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  623 

In  this  order  the  United  States  troops  advanced  steadily  and 
slowly,  till  within  seven  hundred  yards  of  the  enemy,  when  the 
artillery  of  the  Mexican  right  opened  on  their  advancing  columns. 
Taylor  at  once  halted  his  men  ;  gave  the  order  to  deploy  into  line  ; 
and  advancing  his  artillery  about  one  hundred  yards  in  front,  he 
himself  selected  the  position  of  the  guns.  The  order  was  then 
given  to  fire,  when  the  prompt  discharge  of  Ringgold's  and  Dun 
can's  light  pieces  from  the  right  and  left,  and  of  Churchill's  eigh- 
teen-pounders  from  the  centre,  made  perceptible  impressions  on 
the  enemy's  ranks,  especially  driving  back  the  cavalry  on  his  left. 

For  nearly  an  hour  the  battle  was  confined  lo  the  artillery  of 
the  two  armies.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  5th  Infantry  was 
ordered  to  advance  nearly  half  a  mile  to  the  right  front,  to  turn 
the  Mexican  left  wing,  which  had  gradually  receded  before  the 
destructive  fire  of  the  American  artillery. 

Gen.  Arista  perceiving  the  ruinous  efficiency  of  the  American 
Artillery,  and  knowing  his  own  superiority  in  Cavalry,  ordered 
a  charge  of  horse  from  his  left  under  Torrejon,  while  he  himself 
led  on  the  cavalry  of  his  right  supported  by  the  Infantry.     The    ' 
5th,  thrown  into  a  square,  received  Torrejon's  charge,  and  by  a    j 
volley  from  one  of  its  sides,  threw  him  into  a  momentary  confusion. 
Instantly  recovering,  however,  he  passed  gallantly  on  to  take  our    j 
line  in  flank,  but  was  promptly  encountered  by  the  Third,  and  by 
Lieut.  Ridgley's  section  of  Ringgold's  battery,  which  completely 
broke  his  advance  and  forced  him  back  in  hopeless  disorder. 

In  the  meantime  the  eighteen-pounders  occupying  the  road,  and 
Ringgold's  guns  on  the  right,  continued  to  pour  destruction  into 
the  Mexican  left ;  while  thus  engaged,  the  gallant  Ringgold  was 
mortally  wounded  by  a  ball  which  carried  him  and  his  horse  to 
the  ground.  He  was  at  once  borne  from  the  field,  and  lived  in 
great  pain  till  the  llth.  He  was  succeeded  in  command  by  Lieut. 
Shover,  who  ably  discharged  the  duty  thus  suddenly  thrown  upon 
him. 

For  two  hours  Duncan's  Artillery  on  the  left,  supported  by  the 
Eighth  Infantry,  had  successfully  maintained  the  combat  against 
the  Mexican  right.  During  the  conflict,  the  long,  dry  grass  of  the 
prairie  caught  fire,  and  the  smoke,  rolling  along  in  heavy  masses, 


624  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1846. 

for  a  time  concealed  the  armies  from  each  other.  About  the  end 
of  the  period  just  mentioned,  the  breeze  for  a  moment  dispelling 
the  heavy  cloud,  disclosed  the  Cavalry  and  Infantry  ot  the  Mex 
ican  right,  two  thousand  strong,  moving  towards  the  American 
train.  Again  the  volumes  of  smoke  interrupted  our  view  for  a 
time  ;  but,  under  its  friendly  cover,  Duncan  by  command  of  Belk- 
nap,  wheeled  his  horses,  and  rushing  to  meet  the  advancing  en 
emy,  took  a  position  within  musket  range.  When  the  smoke 
again  lifted  and  discovered  the  enemy,  he  poured  a  most  destruc 
tive  discharge  into  their  advancing  ranks.  After  manfully  sup 
porting  the  murderous  fire  for  a  considerable  time,  the  whole  of 
Arista's  charge  on  the  American  left  was  thus  repelled,  Infantry 
and  Cavalry  breaking  and  flying  in  the  greatest  confusion. 

During  these  operations,  the  enemy's  position  had  materially 
changed.  Pressed  by  the  American  right,  his  left  had  fallen  back, 
and  his  front  was  now  nearly  at  right  angles  with  the  line  of  his 
original  position. 

The  action  on  the  American  right  had  also  been  interrupted 
for  nearly  an  hour  by  the  burning  grass.  It  was  again  partially 
renewed,  though  the  enemy  was  now  steadily  and  slowly  falling 
back.  His  last  effort  was  an  attack  by  Cavalry  on  Churchill's 
guns,  at  a  moment  when  they  seemed  to  be  only  slightly  support 
ed.  But  the  Artillery  men,  forming  into  a  square,  repelled  the 
charge  ;  and  night  prevented  further  operations. 

The  Mexican  Army,  whose  loss  during  the  day  was  two  hun 
dred  killed  and  four  hundred  wounded,  retreated  out  of  view  be 
hind  the  chapparal.  The  American  troops  bivouacked  upon  the 
hard-won  field,  their  loss  being  nine  killed  and  forty-four  wound 
ed,  Among  the  former  was  the  gallant  and  lamented  Ringgold  ; 
and  in  the  latter  list  was  Capt.  Page,  an  officer  of  great  merit, 
who  ultimately  died  of  his  wounds. 

Thus  gloriously  for  our  country  terminated  the  first  pitched 
battle  of  the  war ;  officers  and  men,  without  an  exception,  hav 
ing  covered  themselves  with  honor.  On  ground  well  known  to, 
and  chosen  by  the  enemy,  in  his  own  country  and  climate,  our 
troops  had  defeated  a  well  disciplined  and  well  appointed  veteran 
force  thrice  their  own  number.  The  final  result  of  the  contest, 
therefore  could  no  longer  be  doubtful. 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  625 

Accordingly  at  a  council  of  officers,  held  the  night  after  the 
battle,  it  was  unanimously  determined  to  move  forward  in  pursuit 
of  the  enemy,  and  to  the  relief  of  Fort  Brown,  on  the  following 
morning.  It  would  be  difficult  to  decide  whether  this  resolution 
was  most  in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  men,  or  the  de 
signs  of  their  leader. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

RESACA  DE  LA  PALMA. 

Advance  from  ihe  Field  of  Palo  Alto — Arista's  position  at  Resaca  de  la  Palma — Com 
mencement  of  battle — May's  charge — Capture  of  the  Mexican  guns — Subsequent  stubborn 
resistance  by  the  enemy — Tampico  regiment— Loss  of  both  armies — Death  of  Inge,  Coch- 
ran  and  Chadbourne— Spoils  taken— Taking  of  Barita  ;  of  Maiamoras—  Flight  of  Arista. 

ON  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  May,  Gen.  Taylor's  first  care 
was  to  provide  for  his  wounded,  whom  he  sent  back  to  Point 
Isabel,  by  the  most  comfortable  conveyance  in  his  power.  He 
then  parked  his  wagon  train  in  a  strong  position,  and  left  four 
guns,  with  a  sufficient  guard  to  protect  it.  These  humane  and 
prudent  measures  being  taken,  the  order  was  given  to  advance  ; 
his  marching  force  being  thus  reduced  to  seventeen  hundred  of 
ficers  and  men. 

The  first  part  of  the  march  led  directly  across  the  field  of  the 
preceding  day's  contest ;  and  the  piteous  spectacle  of  the  wound 
ed,  the  dying,  and  the  dead,  which  met  the  sight  at  every  step, 
for  a  moment  presented  to  the  hearts  of  the  unhardened  troops  a 
view  of  the  calamities  of  war,  that  few  had  thought  of  during 
the  ardor  of  battle.  But  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  these 
gloomy  ideas  were  dissipated,  by  the  report  that  the  enemy,  rein 
forced  to  the  full  amount  of  his  force  at  Palo  Alto,  had  made  a 
stand  in  front,  and  seemed  determined  to  try  the  fortune  of  anoth 
er  battle. 

The  position  chosen  by  Arista,  for  his  second  contest,  was  very 
strong.  It  is  called  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  or  the  Palm  ravine  ; 
and  is  about  3  miles  from  Matamoras,  on  the  road  leading  to  that 
place  from  Point  Isabel.  A  strip  of  open  land  occurs  in  the  midst 


626  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [ib  16. 

of  the  chapparal,  or  tangled  shrubbery,  that  covers  most  of  the 
ground.  Across  this,  the  road  to  Mataraoras  passes.  Through 
this  open  space  and  directly  crossing  the  road,  the  ravine  extends, 
being  about  five  feet  deep  and  something  over  one  hundred  wide  ; 
and  backed  by  the  chapparal.  Here  the  Mexican  aimy  was 
posted. 

After  some  skirmishing  by  the  advanced  guard,  under  Capt 
McCall,  Gen.  Taylor  arrived  on  the  ground.  He  ordered  Ridge 
ly's  battery,  flanked  by  McCalPs  detachment,  and  the  3d,  4th, 
and  oth  regiments,  to  advance  along  the  road.  This  movement 
at  once  brought  on  the  general  action.  As  on  the  preceding  day, 
the  effect  of  the  artillery  was  very  severe  upon  the  enemy;  but 
his  return  fire,  from  eight  pieces  posted  on  the  road,  at  the  ravine, 
was  very  galling  to  our  troops.  By  degrees  our  Infantry  were 
coming  into  action,  and  the  rattle  of  musketry  was  beginning  to 
be  more  frequently  intermingled  with  the  roar  of  artillery.  But, 
owing  to  the  impediment  ol  the  chapparal  thickets,  and  the  posi 
tion  and  efficiency  of  the  enemy's  artillery,  the  American  troops 
were  suffering  severely,  without  gaining  much  ground. 

Then  it  was  that  Taylor  conceived,  and  Capt.  May  executed, 
the  splendid  project  of  charging  the  fatal  Mexican  artillery  with 
his  Dragoons.  Nothing  in  the  whole  course  of  the  subsequent 
war  exceeded  the  critically  timed  propriety  of  this  movement,  or 
the  splendor  of  its  achievement.  Pausing  for  a  moment  in  his 
career,  while  Ridgely's  guns,  with  a  well-timed  round,  drew  the 
fire  of  the  doomed  Mexican  battery,  on  dashed  May,  at  the  head 
of  his  troop,  shrouded  in  the  smoke  of  Ridgely's  guns.  Literal 
ly  leaping  over  the  cannon,  and  riding  down  the  gunners,  the 
battery  \vas  taken  ;  Gen.  La  Vega  made  prisoner,  and  the  for 
tune  of  the  day  decided.  For,  though  the  few  Dragoons  were 
unable,  permanently,  to  hold  what  they  had  so  brilliantly  con 
quered,  and  the  guns,  were,  for  a  short  time,  recovered  by  the 
Mexicans  ;  yet  the  pause  and  confusion  in  thtir  destructive  fire, 
caused  by  the  success  of  May's  charge,  afforded  time  for  the  In 
fantry  to  come  up  and  re-capture  ^hem.  Accordingly,  this  was 
accomplished  by  the  advance  of  the  8tb,  under  Col.  Helknap  on 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  627 

the  left,  and  of  the  5th,  under  Lieut.  Col.  Mclntosh  on  the  right. 

But  even  after  the  loss  of  their  guns,  the  enemy  fought  long 
and  gallantly.  Clinging  to  the  cover  of  the  thickets,  they  pour 
ed  on  their  foes  a  most  galling  fire.  In  the  attempt  to  dislodge 
them  from  these  natural  fastnesses,  several  valuable  lives  were 
lost,  and  many  officers  and  men  were  wounded.  In  hundreds  of 
hand-to-hand  encounters  of  this  kind,  the  battle  closed  ;  and  it 
was  not  till  driven  from  their  last  stand,  that  the  gallant  army  of 
Ansta  broke  and  fled. 

It  is  injustice  both  to  the  victors  and  the  vanquished,  to  charge 
the  Mexican  forces  with  want  of  courage  and  discipline  on  this 
occasion.  Few  troops  ever  exhibited  more  determination  or  made 
braver  efforts  to  maintain  their  well  chosen  ground.  And  though 
the  same  praise  cannot  be  awarded  to  their  officers,  yet  it  was 
only  by  the  exertion  of  the  greatest  gallantry,  directed  by  the 
most  consummate  skill,  that  they  were  at  length  defeated.  As  an 
instance,  it  may  be  stated,  that  even  after  the  camp  and  Head- 
Quarters  of  Gen.  Arista  had  been  taken,  and  the  rout  became 
general,  the  veteran  Tampico  Battalion,  which  had  never  yielded 
on  any  of  its  hard  fought  fields,  still  surrounded  its  unfallen  ban 
ner,  and  bid  defiance  to  the  victors.  And  it  was  not  till  the  whole 
of  his  gallant  comrades  were  cut  down,  that  their  standard-bear 
er,  resolving  to  save  his  colors,  tore  them  from  his  staff  and  tied. 
But  the  gallant  fellow,  ridden  down  by  the  Dragoons,  was  made 
prisoner,  and  the  trophy  remained  with  the  victors. 

After  the  rout  became  general,  the  pursuit  was  kept  up  till 
night,  by  the  artillery  battalion  that  had  been  left  through  the 
day  in  charge  of  the  wagon  train,  and  by  Kerr's  Dragoons.  Many 
were  thus  killed  and  made  prisoners  till  night  interposed. 

The  American  loss  was  thirty-nine  killed,  and  eighty-three 
wounded.  Among  the  former,  were  Lieut.  Inge  of  the  U.  S.  Dra 
goons,  who  fell  in  May's  memorable  charge;  Lieut.  Cochran  of 
the  4th,  and  Lieut.  Chadbourne  of  the  8th  Infantry,  who  both 
gallantly  met  their  death  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight ;  and  among 
the  severely  wounded,  were  the  brave  Lieut.  Col.  Mclntosh  and 
Capt.  Hare,  with  a  long  list  of  others. 


628  THE    MEXICAN    WAR,  [1846. 

The  enemy's  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  was  not 

less  than  one  thousand  ;  all  his  artillery,  ammunition,  provisions, 

and  the  whole  equipments  for  7000  men  and  2000  horses,  except 

the  small  portion  worn  in  their  flight,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 

1  Americans. 

As  usual  after  the  victory,  Gen.  Taylor's  first  care  was  to  re 
lieve  the  wounded,  and  to  bury  the  gallant  dead.  In  the  per 
formance  of  this  sacred  duty,  no  distinction  was  made  between 
friend  and  foe.  The  living  of  both  nations  received  equal  care  ; 
and  the  now  quiet  dead  occupy  the  same  grave. 

Immediately  after  the  battle,  the  American  army  re-occupied 
its  former  camp  opposite  Matamoras ;  and  on  the  lith  Gen.  Tay 
lor  returned  to  Point  Isabel  to  transact  some  business  with  Com 
modore  Conner,  commander  of  the  Gulf  Squadron,  leaving  Col. 
Twiggs  in  command. 

While  at  the  Point,  Gen.  Taylor  learned  that  the  enemy  were 
fortifying  the  mouth  of  the  river.  To  prevent  this,  an  expedition 
under  Col.  Wilson,  co-operated  in  by  Com.  Conner's  vessels,  was 
ordered  to  proceed  against  Barita,  a  small  place  on  the  right  bank 
of  the  Rio  Grande  at  its  mouth.  This  force  succeeded  in  cap 
turing  the  place  on  the  17th  of  May,  being  the  first  landing  of 
our  troops  on  Mexican  territory. 

On  the  14th,  the  General  returned  to  the  camp  opposite  Mat 
amoras,  and  hastened  the  preparation  to  attack  that  town.  On 
the  17th,  everything  being  ready,  an  attempt  was  made  by  the 
Mexican  General  to  obtain  an  armistice,  without  effect ;  but,  while 
the  affair  was  in  agitation,  Arista  was  taking  advantage  of  the 
delay,  to  remove  many  of  his  military  stores,  and  to  abandon 
the  place. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  18th,  the  crossing  of  the  river 
was  commenced  ;  in  effecting  which  Lieut.  Stevens,  a  promising 
young  officer  of  the  2d  Dragoons,  was  swept  from  his  horse  and 
drowned.  Before  the  passage  of  his  whole  force  was  effected,  a 
deputation  from  Matamoras  waited  on  Gen.  Taylor,  and  inform 
ed  him  of  the  retreat  of  Arista  and  his  Army,  and  of  the  surren 
der  of  the  place.  Soon  after,  Captain  Kerr,  at  the  head  of  his 


1846  ]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  629 

Dragoons,  raised  the  United  States  flag  upon  the  walls  of  Fort 
Paredes  near  the  crossing. 

Next  day  Col.  Twiggs  was  appointed  Governor  of  Matamoras, 
and  his  command  stationed  at  the  river  bank  above  the  town. — 
That  of  Gen.  Worth,  who  had  rejoined  the  army,  after  a  tem 
porary  absence,  was  posted  below.  Fort  Brown  was  properly 
garrisoned,  the  rest  of  the  troops  encamped,  and  Gen.  Taylor 
himself  pitched  his  tent  in  a  grove  of  trees  outside  the  town. 

In  the  meantime,  Arista,  pursued  by  Lieut.  Col.  Garland  with 
all  the  Cavalry  of  the  army,  (about  250,)  was  in  full  retreat  on 
Monterey,  where  he  at  length  arrived  ;  but  was  soon  displaced 
from  command,  and  ordered  to  return  to  the  city  of  Mexico  to 
give  an  account  of  his  conduct  before  a  Court  Martial. 


CHAPTER   V. 

MONTEREY. 

Cause  of  delay  at  Matamoras — War  recognized  by  Congress — Taylor  created  Major-Gen 
eral— Reynosa,  Camargo,  Mier  and  Kavilla  occupied — United  States  expeditions  in  other 
quarters — Santa  Anna  President — Taylor's  march  to  Monterey  and  his  force — Monterey- 
Attack  on  the  place— Capitulation — Terms — Loss  by  American  Army. 

THE  defeated  Mexican  forces  having  halted  and  posted  them 
selves  at  Monterey,  a  strong  town  in  the  interior,  on  the  San 
Juan,  a  tributary  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  on  the  land  rout  from 
Matamoras  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  to  attack  them  at  that  place 
became  the  next  great  object  of  the  American  General.  To  ef 
fect  this,  his  force  in  men  soon  became  quite  sufficient;  for,  a  few 
days  before  the  battle  of  Palo  Alto,  having  made  a  requisition  on 
the  Governors  of  Louisiana  and  Texas,  for  four  regiments  from 
each  of  those  States,  Volunteers  far  beyond  the  number  demand 
ed,  even  to  an  extent  to  be  embarrassing,  now  came  pouring  in 
from  every  quarter.  But  unfortunately  the  means  of  transpor 
tation  were  not  provided  with  equal  promptness  or  liberality. — 
Owing  to  this  deficiency,  it  was  the  beginning  of  September  be 
fore  Taylor  regularly  took  up  his  line  of  March  to  Monterey,  a 
period  of  over  three  months,  from  the  capture  of  Matamoras. 


630  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [184G. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  had 
declared  that  war  existed  "by  the  act.  of  the  republic  of  Mexico." 
At  the  same  time  that  body  appropriated  Ten  Millions  of  Dol- 
Jars  for  the  support  of  the  army,  and  authorized  the  President  to 
accept  the  services  of  50,000  Volunteers  for  its  increase. 

Towards  the  end  of  May,  the  news  of  the  victories  of  Palo 
Alto  and  Resaca  de  la  Palma,  and  of  the  bombardment  of  Fort 
Brown  reached  the  United  States.  The  intelligence  filled  the 
public  mind  with  astonishment  and  admiration  ;  and  excited  a  de 
gree  of  enthusiasm,  which  was  ot  course  increased  by  the  long  pe 
riod  of  peace  the  country  had  enjoyed.  On  the  30th  of  May 
President  Polk  raised  Gen.  Taylor  to  the  rank  of  Major-General 
by  brevet,  and  on  the  18th  of  June,  Congress  conferred  on  him  a 
full  commission  to  the  same  rank,  which  is  the  highest  in  our 
army.  About  the  same  time,  many  other  well-earned  promotions 
took  place  among  his  subordinates  for  gallantry  and  skill  in  the 
same  fields. 

While  lying  at  Matamoras,  a  number  of  the  intermediate  pla 
ces  on  the  route  to  Monterey,  were  occupied  without  opposition 
by  our  troops.  Reynosa  was  taken  by  Lieut.  Col.  Wilson  early 
in  June.  On  the  14th  of  July  Capt.  Miles  took  possession  of 
Caraargo  ;  soon  after,  Mier  and  Ravilla  were  taken.  All  these 
places  are  either  on  or  near  the  right  or  Mexican  bank  of  the 
Rio  Grande. 

While  Taylor  was  thus  preparing  to  reach  the  city  of  Mexico 
by  Montere}  and  San  Luis  Potosi,  hostilities  were  vigorously  car 
ried  on  in  other  directions.  On  the  same  day  on  which  Matamo- 
ras  surrendered,  (May  18,)  Vera  Cruz  and  the  other  Mexican 
ports  on  the  Gulf,  were  blockaded  by  an  American  squadron.  A 
blockade  on  those  of  the  Pacific  was  also  declared.  Other  land 
operations  were  also  ordered.  The  second  division  of  our  army, 
(Taylor  being  the  first,)  under  Gen.  Wool,  was  directed  against 
Chihuahua  on  the  west ;  and  the  third  under  Col.  Kearney 
against  Santa  Fe  and  New  Mexico  on  the  North.  The  results 
of  all  these,  together  with  the  conquest  of  California  and  Gen. 
Scott's  splendid  operations  from  Vera  Cruz  to  the  Capitol,  will 
hereafter  be  described  in  detail  ;  it  being  thought  more  orderly 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  6-i  1 

and  satisfactory  now  to  complete  the  achievements  of  the  "Army 
of  Occupation." 

During  Taylor's  stay  at  Matamoras,  important  events  occurred 
also  at  the  city  and  in  the  government  of  Mexico,  which  after 
wards  had  a  material  bearing  on  the  management  of  the  war  by 
the  enemy.  Since  the  commencement  of  hostilities,  the  influence 
of  President  Paredes.  under  whose  auspices  they  were  began, 
had  been  gradually  declining  ;  till,  about  the  1st  of  August,  he 
was  formally  deposed,  and  Gen.  Santa  Anna  called  to  the  Presi 
dential  chair,  by  one  of  those  frequent  military  revolutions  that 
have  been  the  curse  of  Mexico.  That  noted  personage  was  then 
on  the  Island  of  Cuba  ;  but,  as  soon  as  informed  of  this  turn  in 
his  favor,  he  sailed  for  Vera  Cruz,  where  he  arrived  on  the  16th 
of  August,  passing  through  the  blockading  squadron,  by  the  ex 
press  permission,  as  it  is  said,  of  the  President  of  the  U.  S.  On 
the  15th  of  September  he  made  his  triumphal  entry  into  the  Cap 
itol  ;  and,  from  that  time,  became  the  great  master  spirit  of  the 
war. 

When  Gen.  Taylor  at  last  moved  from  Monterey  from  the  vi 
cinity  of  Matamoras,  his  inarching  force  consisted  of  6,640,  in 
three  divisions,  viz:  Gen.  Twiggs's  2,230,  all  regulars  except 
500  Texan  cavalry  under  Col.  Hays.  Gen.  Worth's  1,700,  con- 
sistingof  regulars  with  100  Texan  Rangers.  Gen-  ButkVs2,710, 
wholly  composed  of  Volunteers  fiom  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
Mississippi  and  Maryland.  His  artillery  consisted  only  of  one 
ten-inch  mortar,  two  twenty-four  pound  howitzers,  and  four  light 
field  batteries  of  four  guns  each.  In  addition  to  this,  there  was 
a  reserve  of  2,100  under  Gen.  Patterson,  in  garrison  at  Camar- 
go  and  other  places. 

Having  pushed  on  these  Divisions,  Taylor  himself  left  Camargo 
on  the  7th  of  September,  passing  through  a  cheerless  tract,  in 
which  the  troops  suffered  much  till  they  arrived  at  Mier.  Here 
the  country  improved  much,  and  pure  water  became  abundant 
till  they  reached  Seralvo.  Alter  a  short  rest,  the  army  left  this 
place,  which  is  about  half  way  between  Camargo  and  Monterey, 
on  the  loth.  On  leaving  Seralvo  the  troops  found  themselves  in 
the  true  mountainous  regions  of  Mexico,  and  beheld  those  stupen- 


632  THE  MEXICAN    WAR.  [1846. 

dous  precipices,  crowned  with  vast  level  plains,  which  forms  its 
peculiar  feature. 

On  the  17th  the  whole  army  was  united  at  Marian,  a  small 
village  on  the  San  Juan,  12  miles  northeast  of  Monterey.  Early 
next  day  the  troops  were  in  motion,  Twiggs'  Division  leading, 
Worth's  next,  and  Butler's  bringing  up  the  rear.  In  the  after 
noon  a  halt  was  made  for  the  night,  at  a  small  stream  called  Wal 
nut  Springs,  within  three  miles  oi  Monterey,  to  afford  time  to  re 
pose  and  reconnoissance. 

Monterey,  the  Capitol  of  New  Leon,  is  a  city  of  about  15,000 
inhabitants,  and  is  beautifully  situated  in  a  sweep  of  the  Sierra 
Madre  range  of  mountains.  Though  not  regularly  fortified,  it  is 
protected  by  its  naturally  strong  position,  and  by  a  number  of 
formidable  outworks)  mounting  forty-two  heavy  cannon.  In  ad 
dition  to  this,  a  main  element  of  its  strength  consisted  in  the  pe 
culiar  structure  of  the  houses,  each  of  which,  built  of  stone,  stand 
ing  by  itself,  and  having  a  flat  roof  surrounded  by  a  lo\v  parapet 
wall,  constituted  a  small  fortress  in  itself,  from  which  the  dis- 
lodgment  of  the  besieged  was  found  to  be  a  work  of  great  diffi 
culty  and  danger. 

Gen.  Ampudia,  who  commanded  this  formidable  place,  had  a 
garrison  of  8,000  regular  troops,  and  several  thousand  militia  and 
armed  citizens  ;  with  abundance  of  ordnance,  small  arms,  ammu 
nition,  and  supplies  of  all  kinds. 

It  is  impossible  here  to  give  anything  like  a  detailed  description 
of  the  works  of  Monterey,  or  the  noble  efforts  of  our  troops  in 
their  attack.  Little  more  than  the  splendid  result  can  be  told. 

After  a  careful  reconnoissance,  Gen.  Taylor  concluded  it  prac 
ticable  to  turn  the  enemy's  position,  by  throwing  forward  a  col 
umn  on  the  Saltillo  road,  on  the  Western  side,  and  nearly  oppo 
site  to  his  own  approach  from  Camargo.  Accordingly,  this  duty 
was  assigned  to  Gen.  Worth  with  the  2nd  Division,  and  Col. 
Hays's  Texan  mounted  volunteers.  At  2  P.  M.,  of  the  30th, 
Worth  marched  on  this  service;  but,  to  divert  the  attention  of 
the  enemy,  the  Divisions  of  Twiggs  and  Butler  were  soon  after 
ordered  to  attack  the  works  on  the  front  or  eastern  side  of  the 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  633 

town.  This  feint,  though  completely  successful  in  its  main  ob 
ject,  was  accomplished  on  that  and  the  next  day  at  a  great  loss 
of  life,  particularly  in  Butler's  volunteer  division. 

On  the  21st  the  operations  were  continued.  Worth  gained  the 
Saltillo  road,  and  Twiggs  and  Butler  made  considerable  impres 
sion  on  the  eastern  front  of  the  town,  carrying  one  of  the  enemy's 
advanced  works. 

Little  was  done  on  the  22nd,  except  by  Worth's  division,  by 
which  the  Bishop's  Palace,  a  strong  post,  was  carried;  the  enemy 
being  now  confined  to  the  citadel  and  body  of  the  town. 

On  the  23rd,  dispositions  were  made  and  partly  commenced, 
to  attack  the  enemy's  barricades  and  carry  the  body  of  the  town  ; 
but,  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  Ampudia  proposed  to  evacuate 
the  place.  This  was  agreed  to,  the  same  day.  On  the  25th  the 
American  troops  occupied  the  citadel ;  and  on  the  26th,  27th  and 
28th,  the  Mexican  forces  retired  by  Divisions  from  the  town,  and 
the  conquerors  took  possession. 

The  terms  of  capitulation  were  of  the  usual  kind  on  such  oc 
casions,  except  those  which  permitted  the  Mexican  army  to 
escape,  and  bound  ours  not  to  go  beyond  certain  specified  points 
till  the  expiration  of  eight  weeks.  These  concessions  were  after 
wards  much  censured  in  the  United  States. 

The  cost  of  this  splendid  achievement  was  very  great,  the  total 
number  of  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  being  561  officers  and 
arid  men.  Full  one-half  of  the  loss  was  suffered  by  Butler's  vol 
unteers.  The  casualties  among  the  officers  were  unusually  large; 
of  the  Regulars  thirteen  being  killed  and  five  wounded,  and  of 
the  Volunteers  five  were  killed  and  sixteen  wounded. 

Among  the  killed  or  mortally  wounded,  were  Lieut.  Col.  Wat 
son  of  the  Baltimore  Volunteers;  Capt.  Williams,  Top.  Engi 
neers  ;  Capt.  M'Kavett,  8th  Infantry ;  Major  Barbour,  Capts. 
Morrison  and  Field,  and  Lieuts.  Irwin  and  Hazlett,  3rd  Infantry; 
Lieuts.  Terret  and  Dilworth  1st,  Lieut.  Woods  2nd,  and  Lieut. 
Hoskins  4th  Infantry  ;  Capt.  Allen  and  Lieut.  Putnam,  Tennes 
see  Regiment ;  Lieut.  Hett,  Ohio  Regiment,  and  Capt.  Gillespie 
of  the  Texas  Volunteers. 

At  the  head  of  the  long  list  of  the  wounded,  as  he  was  always 
at  the  head  of  the  attack,  was  Major  Gen.  Butler. 


634  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1846, 

The  loss  of  the  Mexicans  was  also  very  severe,  though  they 
had  the  advantage  of  constantly  fighting  under  cover.  The 
exact  amount  is  not  known. 

Thus  fell,  before  6,640  Americans,  a  place  of  great  natural 
strength,  skilfully  and  carefully  fortified,  and  manned  by  full  three 
times  their  own  force.  If  the  usual  rule  be  well  founded,  that  it 
requires  at  least  thrice  the  number  of  its  garrison  to  take  such  a 
post  as  Monterey,  then  did  Gen.  Taylor's  band  of  heroes  over 
come  six  times  thtir  own  force. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

BUENA  VISTA. 

T-iylor's  difficulties — F^anla  Anna  in  command — Withdrawal  of  Regulars;  not  wrong 
— Snnta  Anna's  great  celerity — Arrival  of  Wool's  Division — Occupation  of  Sallillo  ;  of 
Tampico— Departure  of  Regulars — Position  al  Buena  Vista — Force  of  the  two  Armies — 
Action  of  ihe  £2d  Fib;  of  '23d— Main  attack  of  Sanla  Anna— HIP  reireat— Loss  of  both 
Armies — Taylor's  return  to  Monterey  ;  to  United  States — General  remarks. 

EVENTS  were  now  shaping  themselves  for  the  production  of 
the  crowning  glory  of  the  campaign  on  the  Rio  Grande — the  field 
of  Buena  Vista.  Two  occurrences  preceded  it,  which,  at  the 
time,  seemed  to  add  to  the  difficulties  of  the  American  General, 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  render  the  hope  of  future  victory  almost 
desperate.  But,  if  difficulty  be  only  another  name  for  that  de 
gree  of  stimulus  which  always  excites  in  great  minds  the  adequate 
means  of  success,  then  was  it  not  misapplied  in  the  case  of  Tay 
lor  and  his  army. 

The  first  of  the  occurrences  was  the  assumption  of  the  command 
of  the  Mexican  forces  by  Santa  Anna  himself;  a  General,  who, 
whatever  may  be  his  faults  in  other  respects,  has  shown  himself 
second  to  few  of  his  compeers  in  celerity  of  movement,  fertility 
of  resource,  promptness  in  action,  and  endurance.  To  cope  with 
him  was  a  different  affair  from  conquering  Mejia,  Arista,,  and 
Ampudia. 

The  other  and  the  most  serious  embarrassment  of  Gen.  Taylor, 
was  the  withdrawal  from  his  command  of  nearly  all  his  well  train 
ed  and  veteran  regulars,  to  serve  under  Gen.  Scott,  at  Vera  Cruz  ; 


1846.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  635 

and  the  risking  of  his  further  success  mainly  upon  the  untried  ef 
forts  of  Volunteers.  But  these  events  only  added  to  the  glory 
of  the  victory  and  the  commander's  renown. 

It  is  not  intended,  by  these  remarks,  to  cast  reproach  on  the 
Government  at  home.  On  the  contrary,  the  decision  to  discon 
tinue  the  line  of  approach  to  the  capitol  of  Mexico  by  the  long 
and  difficult  route  to  Monterey  and  San  Luis  Potosi,  and  to  strike 
it  by  a  shorter  one  of  Vera  Cruz,  was  both  proper  and  merciful. 
For,  the  long  existence  of  any  war,  no  matter  how  just  in  its 
origin,  being  a  great  national  calamity,  it  is  the  imperative  duty 
of  belligerents  so  to  wage  it,  as  to  bring  it  to  the  speediest  pos 
sible  conclusion,  consistent  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  object 
for  which  it  was  commenced.  Hence,  when  it  became  apparent 
to  our  Government,  that  nothing  short  of  the  capture  of  their 
capitol  city  could  convince  the  Mexicans  of  their  inability  to  suc 
ceed  in  the  purpose  for  which  they  had  begun  the  war,  it  was 
merciful  as  well  as  proper  to  bring  them  to  that  state  of  convic 
tion,  with  as  little  loss  of  time  and  of  life  as  practicable. 

Nor  was  it  then  supposable  that  Santa  Anna,  who  was  known 
to  be  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  adding  to  its  defences,  and  organ 
izing  his  army,  could  or  would,  by  the  1st  of  February,  concen-  jj 
trate  a  force  of  21,000  men  at  San  Luis  Potosi ;  and  in  the  short 
space  of  twenty  days  afterwards,  march  them  across  an  almost 
desert  country  of  more  than  three  hundred  miles,  to  attack  Tay 
lor  near  Saltillo  ;  when  he  knew  that  Gen.  Scott's  main  expedi 
tion  against  Mexico,  by  way  of  Vera  Cruz,  was  in  rapid  and 
certain  preparation  :  yet  so  it  was.  And  this  bold  and  skilful 
military  exploit,,  which,  if  the  success  it  was  so  near  achieving 
had  crowned  the  attempt,  would  have  placed  the  name  of  Santa 
Anna  almost  as  high  in  fame,  as  his  defeat  has  that  of  his  con 
queror,  is  therefore  not  to  be  charged  as  a  mistake  to  the  account 
of  our  own  Government;  nor  is  it  to  be  denied  to  the  Mexican 
leader,  as  a  great  though  unsuccessful  military  achievement. 
Justice  to  the  American  Government,  alike  require  this  remark. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Mexican  forces,  who  ultimately 
fell  back  as  far  as  San  Luis,  Gen.  Worth's  Division  was  quarter 
ed  in  Monterey,  and  the  rest  of  the  army  encamped  in  the  vicin- 


636  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1846. 

ity  ;  Gen.  Taylor  himself  having  his  tent  and  Head  Quarters  at 
"Walnut  Bottom." 

Soon  after,  he,  in  compliance  with  the  instructions  of  the  Pres 
ident,  notified  the  Mexican  General  that  the  Armistice  of  Mon 
terey,  would  expire  on  the  13th  of  November. 

Early  in  that  month,  Gen.  Wool's  Division,  2,400  strong,  and 
chiefly  Volunteers  from  Kentucky?  Illinois  and  Arkansas,  which 
had  been  operating  to  the  northwest  of  Taylor  in  Chihuahua, 
arrived  at  Monclovia,  in  Coahuila,  and  came  under  his  command. 
On  the  12th,  a  Division  under  Worth  was  pushed  on  to  Saltillo, 
the  Capitol  of  Coahuila,  75  miles  in  advance  of  Monterey. 

On  the  25th,  Tampico  was  occupied  by  the  naval  forces  under 
Com.  Perry,  and  garrisoned  by  six  companies,  under  Lieut.  Col. 
Belton,  from  Gen.  Patterson's  Division  at  Matamoras. 

In  December,  nearly  all  the  regulars  left  Gen,  Taylor  to  join 
Gen.  Scott's  Division  against  Vera  Cruz  ;  and  on  the  15th  of 
the  same  month,  Taylor  himself  left  Monterey,  which  then  be 
came  the  Head  Quarters  of  Gen.  Butler,  with  the  intention  of 
proceeding  to  Victoria.  But,  on  the  17th,  hearing  that  Santa 
Anna  was  preparing  to  attack  Saltillo,  he  at  once  took  measures 
to  concentrate  his  whole  disposable  force  at  that  point,  which  he 
himself  reached  on  the  2nd  of  February. 

On  the  4lh  he  advanced  to  Agua  Nueva,  20  miles  beyond 
Saltillo,  where  he  encamped  till  the  21st ;  but  being  informed  by 
his  scouts  that  the  enemy  was  advancing  in  great  force,  he,  on 
that  day  fell  back  to  within  eight  miles  of  Saltillo,  and  took  up 
a  strong  position  at  Buena  Vista  ;  the  whole  number  of  his  ef 
fective  force  being  4,769,  of  which  less  than  500  were  regulars  ; 
that  of  Santa  Anna  being  21,340. 

The  position  selected  for  the  American  Army  was  one  of  great 
strength.  It  was  at  a  point  where  the  main  road  from  Saltillo  to 
San  Luis  traverses  the  Angostura  or  Narrows,  between  two 
mountains.  In  addition  to  the  straitness  of  the  defiles,  the  ground 
itself  is  deeply  cut  in  many  places  by  the  beds  of  mountain  tor 
rents,  forming,  even  when  dry,  serious  impediments  to  the  large 
cavalry  force  of  the  enemy.  Between  these  are  level  plateaus  of 
various  extent. 


[1847.  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  637 

Taylor  posted  his  troops  nearly  at  right  angles  with  the  road 
across  this  defile,  each  wing  reaching  one  of  its  mountain  boun 
daries  ;  the  chief  force  being  on  the  east  or  left,  and  the  artillery 
|    occupying  the  road  in  the  centre. 

Here  the  dawn  of  the  22d  of  February,  1847,  found  the  small 
but  fearless  band  of  American  citizen  soldiers,  calm  and  determin- 
I  ed  not  to  disgrace  the  birth-day  of  the  father  of  their  country. 
About  noon  the  head  of  the  enemy's  columns  had  approached 
within  two  miles  of  their  lines.  At  this  moment,  no  doubt  depen 
ding  on  the  terror  produced  by  the  display  of  his  overwhelming 
force.  A  white  flag  advanced  and  presented  from  the  Mexican 
General  an  unconditional  summon  of  surrender.  The  short,  cool 
reply  it  received,  is  now  as  widely  known  as  is  the  gallantry  with 
which  the  small  American  army  justified  the  confidence  reposed 
in  it  by  the  General. 

Soon  afterwards  the  action  began  by  an  attack  on  the  Amer 
ican  extreme  left,  composed  of  Kentucky  and  Arkansas  dismounted 
Cavalry  and  an  Indiana  Rifle  Battalion,  the  whole  commanded  by 
Col.  Marshall.  The  object  being  evidently  to  gain  Taylor's 
flank,  three  guns  of  Capt.  Washington's  battery,  supported  by 
the  2nd  Indiana  Regiment,  were  detached  to  the  threatened 
point,  and  defeat  the  enemy's  design.  This  was  the  chief  oper 
ation  of  the  22nd,  night  soon  suspending  the  action  ;  and  the 
troops  bivouacking  on  the  ground  they  occupied  in  line,  without 
fires  or  covering. 

A  body  of  about  fifteen  hundred  Mexican  Cavalry  under  Gen. 
Minon  having  been  thrown  into  the  rear  of  Saltillo,  Gen.  Taylor 
visited  that  post  during  the  night,  to  strengthen  its  defences  , 
and  by  the  time  he  returned  to  Euena  Vista  on  the  morning  of 
the  23d,  the  action  had  been  resumed,  by  the  renewal  of  the  at 
tack  on  the  left.  The  result,  however,  was  the  same  as  the  day 
before. 

At  8  o'clock  a  strong  demonstration  was  made  along  the  road 

o  O 

against  the   centre  ;  but  was  repulsed  by  the  effective  fire  of 
Washington's  battery. 

Again  was  the  American  left  attacked,  and  this  time  with  ef 
fect  ;  the  enemy  having  concentrated  an  overwhelming  amount 


THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

of  Infantry  and  Cavalry  under  cover  of  the  ridges.  The  2cl  In 
diana  and  the  2d  Illinois  Regiments,  under  Gen.  Lane,  formed 
this  point  of  the  Line.  The  former  was  ordered  forward  to  sup 
port  three  pieces  of  Artillery  under  Capt.  O'Brien,  but  was  soon 
forced  back  in  disorder,  and  one  of  the  guns  lost.  The  left  of 
his  position  was  thus  in  a  most  critical  state,  the  enemy  in  great 
force  having  gained  his  flank,  at  the  moment  when  Taylor  arriv 
ed  on  the  field.  He  at  once  reinforced  this  recoiling  portion  of 
his  line,  by  ordering  to  its  support  the  Mississippi  and  2d  Ken 
tucky  Regiments,  and  Capt  Bragg's  Battery.  These,  with  a  part 
of  the  1st  Illinois  under  Col.  Harden,  gallantly  drove  back  the 
enemy  and  recovered  a  portion  of  the  lost  ground.  The  action 
here  was  for  a  long  time  most  obstinately  contested,  the  enemy 
making  several  furious  charges,  both  of  Infantry  and  Cavalry  ; 
but  by  the  skill  and  courage  of  the  American  troops,  he  was  al 
ways  repulsed.  In  producing  this  result  the  agency  of  Bragg's  j 
Battery  mainly  contributed. 

During  the  day  Minon's  Cavalry  approached  Buena  Vista  | 
from  Saltillo,  and  made  an  attack  from  that  quarter  ;  but  were  j 
repulsed  by  two  guns  under  Capt,  Shover  and  Lieut.  Donaldson  | 
and  a  company  of  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  Santa  Anna  brought  his  reserve  into  ac- 

C3 

tion  and  made  his  last  and  most  desperate  attempt  for  victory,  j 
after  the  firing  had  ceased  for  some  lime.     This  was  the  critical  ! 
moment  of  the  day,  when  many  experienced  officers  advised  Tay-  : 
lor  to  fall  back  and  take  a  new  position  ;  but,  fearful  of  the  effect 
of  retreat  on  his  volunteers,  he  stood  his  ground.     The  Illinois 
and  2d  Kentucky  Regiments  were  soon  overwhelmed  ;  Colonels 
Harden,  McKee,  and  Clay,  having  fallen  at  the  head  of  their 
men. — But  again  his  admirable  artillery  secured  the  day  5  Wash 
ington's  and  Bragg's  Battery  shattering  and  repulsing  this  last 
effort  of  Santa  Anna,  and  virtually  ending  the  battle. 

Night  once  more  suspended  the  toils  of  the  gallant  troops, 
who  again  lay  on  the  ground,  with  the  mercury  in  that  high  re 
gion  below  the  freezing  point,  without  fires  or  tents,  but  ready 
to  renew  the  fight  on  the  morrow.  When  day  dawned,  however, 
it  was  found  that  Santa  Anna  had  retreated,  though  still  in  such 
force  as  to  forbid  pursuit. 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  6o9      j 

/xxv^^^,^.~  -vw/x,-w-_-v.  v-^--^^"_^-^-^",.-^^-^-^-^-,  ~^^,/v^~~~^~^^^^~~^^-'^~~^/N--^~_~--_^^  j 

The  American  loss  in  this  astonishing  trial  of  courage  and  en-  , 
durance  was  267  killed,  45-3  wounded,  and  23  missing.     That  of  j 
the  Mexican  army  exceeded  2,000,  the  dead  on  the  field  being 
five  hundred. 

Santa  Anna  first  fell  back  to  Agua  Nueva  ;  on  the 26th  he  re 
treated  towards  San  Luis  ;  and  finally  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  j 
No  further  operations  of  importance,  therefore,  took  place  in  this  | 
part  of  Mexico.     On  the  27th  the  American  troops  occupied    j 
their  former  position  at   Agua  Nueva  ;  but  about  the  middle  of  !• 
March,  resumed  their  old  post  at  Monterey,  "Walnut  Springs" 
continuing  to  be  Gen.  Taylor's  Head  Quarters,  till  his  return  to  || 
the  United  States  several  months  after  ;  since  which  time  his  his-  l| 
tory  is  known  to  all,  and  falls  without  the  scope  of  this  work. 

Thus  brilliantly  closed  an  active  and  continued  campaign  of 
ten  months,  characterized  by  the  highest  military  skill  and  excel-  I 
lence  on  the  part  of  the  Commander,  and  by  every  variety  of  | 
gallant  service  and  soldierly  conduct  on  that  of  the  troops.  In  !| 
the  location,  construction,  and  defence  of  Fort  Brown,  profess-  [ 
ional  science,  high  courage  and  stubborn  endurance,  were  no  less 
strongly  exhibited,  than  when  their  corresponding  virtues  of  cool 
daring  and  inflexible  determination  in  the  assault  and  capture  of 
Monterey.  At  Palo  Alto  the  very  perfection  of  field  gunnery 
was  displayed  in  the  defeat  of  the  enemy.  At  Resaca  de  la 
Palma  the  same  formidable  agent  in  the  hands  of  the  Mexicans 
was  disregarded  by  our  troops,  and  literally  over-ridden  by  our 
gallant  Cavalry,  thus  leaving  a  fair  scope  for  the  exhibition  of 
our  national  superiority  in  the  hundred  hand-to-hand  encounters 
which  closed  that  memorable  day.  While,  at  Buena  Yista  it  was 
reserved  for  a  handful  of  Volunteers,  by  remaining  firmly  in  po 
sition  during  two  whole  days,  to  manifest  the  possession  of  all 
these  qualities  combined  ;  and  to  allowr  a  perfectly  appointed 
army,  five  times  their  number,  to  shatter  itself  into  fragments 
against  their  impregnable  front.  Truly,  it  was  a  glorious  cam 
paign. 


640  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  1846.] 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SANTA  FE,  NEW  MEXICO  AND  CHIHUAHUA. 

Kearney's  Expedition  from  Fort  Leavenworih  to  Santa  Fe— Doniphan's  march  to  Santa 
Fe,  to  Chihuahua— Price's  march  to  the  same  place — Insurrection  in  New  Mexico,  and  mur 
der  of  Bent  and  others — Price's  expedition  to  suppress  this  outbreak — Remarks  on  the  ac 
quisition  of  Santa  Fe  and  New  Mexico. 

IT  now  becomes  necessary  to  describe  the  minor,  but  no  less 
successful  operations  that  took  place  in  the  northern  and  western 
portions  of  the  Mexican  territory. 

Early  in  1846,  a  force,  principally  consisting  of  Missouri  vol 
unteers  and  U.  S.  Dragoons,  was  collected  under  Brigadier  Gen 
eral  Kearney,  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  in  Missouri.  Its  destina 
tion  was  Santa  Fe,  on  the  upper  Rio  Grande,  with  the  design, 
after  occupying  that  important  post,  to  operate  against  new  Mex 
ico  and  such  other  of  the  Northern  departments,  as  circumstances 
should  render  proper.  The  detachment  which  left  Missouri  on 
the  16th  of  June,  consisted  of  1,600  men. 

On  the  18th  of  August,  the  General  arrived  at  Santa  Fe  ;  and, 
having  occupied  that  place  and  the  whole  of  New  Mexico  with 
out  opposition,  it  became  necessary  to  employ  his  disposable  force, 
in  other  expeditions  calculated  to  promote  the  objects  ot  his  gov-  j 
ernment. 

Accordingly,  on  the  23rd  of  September,  1846,  he  detached 
the  1st  Regiment  of  Missouri  volunteers,  under  Col.  Doniphan, 
against  the  Navajo  Indians,  who  infested  the  mountains  in  the 
west  of  NewT  Mexico,  and  then  to  join  Gen.  Wool,  who  was  sup 
posed  to  be  leading  an  expedition  from  San  Antonia  de  Bexar, 
in  Texas,  against  the  city  and  department  of  Chihuahua,  south 
of  Santa  Fe.  About  the  first  of  October,  Doniphan  marched 
against  the  Navajos,  and  having,  by  detachments  from  his  com 
mand,  visited  every  part  of  their  country,  the  larger  portions  of 
the  tribe  was  finally  collected  at  Ojo  Oso,  where  he  made  a  treaty 
with  them.  On  the  12th  of  December  he  returned  to  the  banks 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  at  Socorro,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 


[1847.  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  641 

South  of  Santa  Fe  ;  the  latter  part  of  the  march  having  been 
performed  through  a  very  difficult  country  of  mountains  and  val 
leys,  amidst  intense  cold  and  through  deep  snows. 

From  Socorro  the  command  proceeded  to  Valverde,  on  its  way 
to  join  Gen.  Wool's  expedition  against  Chihuahua.  There  it  was 
joined  by  a  large  number  of  American  merchants  with  a  heavy 
wagon  train  of  goods,  awaiting  protection  to  Chihuahua. 

On  the  14th  of  December  Doniphan's  advance  left  Valverde, 
and  a  few  days  after,  his  whole  force,  consisting  of  eight  hundred 
and  fifty-six  men,  armed  with  rifles,  but  without  artillery,  arrived 
at  the  village  of  Donna  Anna,  sixty  miles  north  of  El  Paso  Del 
Norte,  in  the  department  of  Chihuahua. 

On  the  25th,  his  advance  of  five  hundred  men  was  attacked,  at 
a  place  called  Brazito,  by  1,120  Mexicans,  who  were  totally  de 
feated,  with  a  loss  of  two  hundred  in  killed  and  wounded;  the 
American  loss  being  only  seven  wounded. 

On  the  27th,  Doniphan  entered  El  Paso  del  Norte,  without 
opposition;  where,  hearing  that  Gen.  Wool's  force  had  been  di 
verted  from  its  original  destination,  in  order  to  join  Gen.  Taylor, 
the  Col.  was  compelled  to  halt,  and  wait  for  his  artillery,  which 
had  been  previously  ordered  from  Santa  Fe. 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1847,  the  expected  reinforcement, 
consisting  of  one  hundred  men  and  four  guns,  having  arrived,  on 
the  8th,  Doniphan's  whole  command  marched  from  the  town  of  El 
Paso,  and  on  the  28th,  reached  the  Pass  of  the  Sacramento,  about 
fifteen  miles  from  Chihuahua,  the  capitol  of  the  State  of  the  same 
name.  Here  the  enemy  was  discovered  in  great  force,  strongly 
posted  on  commanding  heights,  and  well  supplied  with  artillery. 
Arrangements  being  promptly  made  for  attack,  notwithstanding 
the  odds,  a  fire  was  opened  from  the  American  guns,  and  the  ac 
tion  became  general,  lasting  from  3  o'clock,  P-  JYL,  till  after  dark. 
All  the  Mexican  redoubts  having  been  carried,  the  enemy  were 
at  length  driven  from  the  field  completely  routed.  They  lost  six 
hundred  men  in  killed  and  wounded,  ten  pieces  of  artillery  and 
some  culverines.  Our  loss  did  not  exceed  nine  men  in  all.  Their 
force  consisting  of  4,120  men,  was  commanded  by  Major  Gen. 
Heredia,  under  whom  were  a  large  number  of  other  distinguished 


642  THE    MEXICAN   WAR.  [1S47. 

Mexican  officers  of  high  rank.  Our  entire  number  on  the  ground 
was  nine  hundred  and  twenty-four,  of  whom  more  than  one 
hundred  were  not  engaged. 

No  further  resistance  being  offered,  on  the  1st  of  March  the 
city  of  Chihuahua  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victorious  Missouri- 
ans ;  and  with  it  the  whole  of  the  department. 

It  has  been  correctly  said  that  this  ad  venturous  and  well  planned 
march  over  more  than  1,000  miles  of  a  hostile  and  almost  unknown 
country,  forms  an  achievement  to  which  it  would  be  difficult  to 
find  a  parallel  in  the  history  of  military  operations. 

From  this  period  Chihuahua  remained  in  quiet  subjection  to  the 
American  arms,  till  the  close  of  1847,  when  a  spirit  of  determined 
hostility  again  manifested  itself.  At  this  time  Col,  Price,  recently 
promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier  General,  wasjn  the  command 
of  Santa  Fe  and  New  Mexico,  Gen.  Kearney  having,  in  Septem 
ber,  1846,  departed  on  his  California  expedition.  On  the  7th  of 
February,  1848,  Price  moved  from  the  city  of  Santa  Fe ;  and 
early  in  March  re-captured  that  of  Chihuahua,  which  had  again 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  On  his  approach  the  Mexi 
cans  fled  to  Santa  Cruz  de  Rosales,  a  distance  of  sixty  miles,  and 
took  a  strong  position  in  that  town.  On  the  16th,  after  a  fire  of 
five  hours  upon  the  place,  it  was  carried  by  bold  and  simultaneous 
attacks  upon  its  different  points.  '1  he  enemy  lost  in  killed,  two 
officers  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  men  and  a  large  number 
wounded,  out  of  a  total  force  of  nine  hundred,  commanded  by- 
Gen.  Trias.  Our  loss  was  fourteen  killed  and  nineteen  wounded, 
out  of  a  total  ol  six  hundred  and  sixty-five. 

As  the  engagement  took  place  after  the  conclusion  of  the  gen 
eral  Armistice  at  the  city  of  Mexico,  which  was  then  unknown 
to  our  troops,  all  the  captured  arms  and  stores  were  subsequently 
restored. 

During  a  portion  of  the  time  occupied  by  these  operations  in 
Chihuahua,  affairs  remained  quiet  in  the  north.  But  about  the 
beginning  of  December,  1846,  after  the  departure  of  Kearney's 
expedition  for  the  west,  and  Doniphan's  for  the  south,  an  insurrec 
tion  broke  in  Santa  Fe  and  New  Mexico.  Gen.  Price,  (then 
Colonel)  took  prompt  measures  for  its  suppression.  The  plan 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  643 

adopted  hy  the  Mexicans  to  accomplish  their  object,  was  the  de 
struction  of  all  the  Americans  in  the  territory,  and  of  such  of  their 
countrymen  as  had  entered  the  service  of  the  United  States.  The 
first  outrage  was  the  deliberate  murder  of  Charles  Bent,  Govern 
or  of  the  territory,  and  of  several  other  American  citizens  of  Taos 
and  other  places — in  all  fifteen.  This  brutal  measure  was  followed 
up  by  the  organization  of  a  force  to  attack  the  city  of  Santa  Fe. 
On  the  23d  of  January,  Col.  Price  left  Santa  Fe  with  three 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  in  the  direction  of  Taos,  which  is  north  of 
Santa  Fe,  and  on  the  Rio  Grande.  Next  day  he  discovered  the 
enemy  near  the  town  of  Canada,  about  1,500  strong  ;  and  attack 
ing  immediately,  dispersed  them  with  a  loss  of  thirty-six  killed 
and  a  large  number  wounded. 

O 

On  the  24th,  a  reconnoitering  party  of  eighty,  under  Capt. 
Hendiey,  attacked  over  three  hundred  Mexicans  in  the  town  of 
Mora  ;  but  owing  to  the  strength  of  the  position,  were  repulsed 
with  the  loss  of  their  gallant  leader. 

On  the  26th,  Price's  command,  now  increased  to  five  hundred, 
readied  La  Hoya  ;  and  a  detachment  from  it,  drove  a  body  of 
600  Mexicans  from  the  strong  heights  of  Embudo  ;  and  then  re 
joined  the  main  force  at  Trampas. 

On  the  3rd  of  February  Col.  Price's  command,  after  a  most 
toilsome  march  through  deep  snows,  arrived  at  Puebla  de  Taos, 
a  town  of  considerable  strength,  surrounded  with  walls  of  adobe, 
or  sun-dried  brick,  and  strong  lines  of  pickets.  After  battering 
the  place  that  day  and  the  next,  without  effect,  owing  to  the 
lightness  of  his  metal,  Col.  Price  ordered  a  storm.  This  was 
most  gallantly  and  successfully  executed,  and  the  place  reduced. 
Some  of  the  leaders  in  the  massacre  with  which  the  insurrection 
commenced,  being  found  in  the  town,  were  tried  and  executed. 
Alter  this  no  further  disturbance  of  any  importance  was  experi 
enced  in  this  portion  of  the  country.. 

Thus  were  the  territories  of  Santa  Fe  and  New  Mexico  and 
the  department  of  Chihuahua  taken  possession  of,  by  expeditions 
less  imposing,  it  is  true,  than  those  under  Taylor  and  Scott,  but 
vastly  more  momentous  in  their  direct  results.  For,  though 
Chihuahua  was  restored  to  the  enemy  by  the  treaty  which 


644  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 


terminated  the  war  ;  yet  Santa  Fe  and  New  Mexico  now  form 
a  portion  of  the  United  States. 

Whether  this  shall  ultimately  be  for  our  benefit  or  disadvantge 
time  alone  can  determine.  It  is  not,  however,  out  of  place  here 
to  remark,  that  the  acquisition  of  the  city  of  Santa  Fe  and  its 
territory,  puts  an  end  to  the  disputed  question  of  boundary  between 
Texas  and  the  Mexican  nation  ;  and  gives  us  the  possession  of  an 
important  trading  post,  long  resorted  to,  under  great  risks,  by  our 
traders.  And,  that  our  occupancy  of  this  territory  and  New 
Mexico  places  under  the  control  of  a  strong  government,  a  coun 
try  long  infested  by  lawless,  blood-thirsty  and  roving  bands  of 
Indians,  wrhom  Mexico  \vas  utterly  unable  to  restrain.  These 
results  will  undoubtedly  be  found  to  be  well  worth  the  losses  and 
hardships  encountered  in  their  achievement. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

CALIFORNIA. 

Fremont's  exploring  expedition  in  1S45— Difficulties  with  Gen.  Castro— Determination  lo 
subvert  the  Mexican  authority— Surprise  of  Sonoma— Declaration  of  Independence— Arri 
val  of  Scociflori— Capture  of  Cuidad  Los  Angelos— March  of  Kearney  from  Santa  Fe— San 
guinary  conflict  at  San  Pasqual — Second  taking  of  Cuidad  de  los  Angelos — Armistice  in 
Upper  California—Affairs  of  San  Jose  and  La  Pa/,  in  Lower  California—  General  remark?. 

IN  order  to  explain  clearly  the  military  operations  by  which  this 
interesting  country  was  acquired,  it  becomes  necessary  to  recapit 
ulate  certain  events  that  occurred,  even  before  the  commencment 
of  hostilities  on  the  lower  Rio  Grande. 

In  May,  1845,  the  well  known  Col.  Fremont,  then  a  brevet 
Captain  in  the  corps  of  Topographical  Engineers,  left  Washing 
ton,  under  orders  from  the  War  Department,  to  continue  his  val- 
able  explorations  in  the  regions  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains.' — 
Not  an  officer  or  soldier  of  the  U.  S.  Army  accompanied  him. 
His  W7hole  force  consisted  of  sixty-two  men,  employed  by  himself, 
for  security  against  the  Indians,  arid  for  procuring  subsistence  in 
the  wilderness. 


1846.]  THE   MEXICAN    WAR.  645 

One  object  nf  this  expedition  was  the  discovery  of  a  new  and 
shorter  route,  from  the  western  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  \o 
the  mouth  of  the  Columbia;  the  search  for  which  would  necessa 
rily  carry  him,  for  a  part  of  the  distance,  through  the  unsettled, 
and  afterwards  through  a  corner  of  the  settled  parts  of  California. 

Fremont  approached  the  Mexican  settlements  during  the  winter 
of  1845-6  ;  and  halting  his  party  on  the  frontier,  proceeded  alone 
to  the  city  of  Monterey,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  miles,  and 
obtaining  leave  from  the  commanding  general,  Castro,  to  rest  his 
command  in  the  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin,  near  the  Gulf  of  San 
Francisco  ;  where  there  was  game  for  his  men  and  grass  for  their 
horses,  but  no  inhabitants  to  be  molested  by  his  presence. 

Soon  afterwards,  Castro,  asserting  that  Fremont,  under  pretext 
of  a  scientific  expedition,  was  inciting  the  few  American  settlers 
in  California  to  revolt,  prepared  to  attack  him  with  a  large  force 
of  cavalry,  artillery  and  infantry.  Upon  learning  this,  Col.  Fre 
mont  occupied,  with  his  sixty-two  men,  a  commanding  position  on 
a  mountain  within  thirty  miles  of  Monterey  ;  where  he  remained 
from  the  7th  to  the  10th  of  March,  1846.  Castro  not  attacking, 
Fremont,  adhering  to  his  determination  not  to  be  the  aggressor, 
then  abandoned  his  position,  and  commenced  his  march  for  Ore 
gon,  intending  by  that  route  to  return  to  the  United  States.  Deem 
ing  all  danger  past,  he  discharged  some  of  his  men,  who  wished 
to  remain  in  that  country,  and  did  not  receive  others  in  theirstead. 

With  his  small  force  thus  diminished,  he  pursued  his  route  till 
the  middle  of  May,  being  then  at  the  greater  Klamath  Lake  with 
in  the  U.  S.  Territory  of  Oregon.  Here  his  further  progress  was 
not  only  obstructed  by  impassable  snowy  mountains,  but  by  hostile 
Indians,  who,  incited,  it  was  said,  by  Gen.  Castro,  killed  and 
wounded  four  of  his  men,  and  allowed  him  no  quiet,  either  in  camp 
or  on  the  march.  At  this  time  information  reached  him,  that 
Castro  was  advancing  against  him  at  the  hea^d  of  four  or  five 
hundred  men ;  and  that  the  American  settlers  were  comprehended 
in  the  intended  destruction. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Fremont  at  once  determined  to  turn 
upon  his  pursuers,  and  secure  the  safety  of  his  own  party  and  of 
the  American  settlers,  not  only  by  the  defeat  of  Castro,  but  by 


646  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1846. 

the  overthrow  of  the  Mexican  authority,  and  the  establishment 
of  an  independent  government  in  California.  It  was  on  the  6th  of 
June,  1846,  which  was  before  the  commencement  of  hostilities 
between  the  United  States  and  Mexico  could  have  been  known, 
that  this  daring  resolution  was  taken.  The  series  of  rapid  march 
es  and  attacks  by  which  it  was  followed,  will  now  be  very  briefly 
noticed. 

On  the  llth  of  June,  a  convoy  of  two  hundred  horses,  for 
Castro's  camp,  was  taken  by  twelve  of  Fremont's  men ;  and  on 
the  15th,  the  military  post  of  Sonoma,  at  the  northern  end  of  the 
bay  of  San  Francisco,  was  surprised  and  taken,  with  nine  brass 
cannon,  two  hundred  and  fifty  muskets,  a  quantity  of  munitions 
of  war,  and  several  officers  and  men. 

Leaving  a  garrison  in  Sonoma,  Fremont  proceeded  to  the  Sac 
ramento,  north  of  Sonoma,  to  rouse  the  American  settlers  in  that 
valley  ;  but  was  almost  instantly  recalled  by  news  that  Castro, 
with  his  whole  force,  was  crossing  the  bay  of  San  Francisco 
against  the  post.  This  information  reached  him  during  the  after 
noon  on  the  23d,  and  by  daybreak  on  the  morning  of  the  25th, 
he  had  traversed  a  distance  of  eighty  miles,  with  ninety  riflemen, 
from  the  American  settlers  in  the  valley,  aed  was  at  the  threat 
ened  post.  Castro  had  not  yet  appeared  ;  but  a  day  or  two 
afterwards,  a  party  of  twenty  scouts,  sent  out  to  reconnoitre,  fell 
in  with  and  defeated  seventy  dragoons  under  De  la  Torre,  with 
the  loss  of  five  men,  all  their  transport  boats,  and  nine  pieces  of 
brass  artillery,  spiked.  This  was  the  only  part  of  Castro's  force 
that  had  ventured  across. 

After  clearing  the  country  north  of  the  bay  of  Francisco  of  the 
enemy,  Col.  Fremont  returned  to  Sonoma,  on  the  evening  of  the 
4th  of  July,  1846  ;  and  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  called  the 
people  together,  and  explained  the  condition  of  things  in  the 
Province.  A  Declaration  of  Independence  was  at  once  made, 
and  he  was  selected  to  take  the  chief  direction  of  affairs. 

Castro  was  then  at  Santa  Clara,  an  entrenched  post  near  the 
southern  end  of  the  bay  of  San  Francisco,  with  four  hundred  men 
and  two  pieces  of  field  artillery.  On  the  6th  of  July,  Fremont 
led  one  hundred  and  sixty  mounted  riflemen  against  him  from  So 
noma.  On  the  9th,  having  arrived  at  the  American  settlement  on 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  64? 

the  Rio  de  los  Americanos,  by  the  circuitous  route  necessary  to 
reach  Santa  Clara,  he  learned  that  Castro  had  abandoned  that 
post,  and  was  in  full  retreat  to  Cuidad  de  los  Angelos,  the  seat  of 
the  Governor  General,  distant  four  hundred  miles.  At  the  same 
place  intelligence  was  also  received  of  the  commencement  of  the 
war  with  Mexico,  of  the  capture  of  Monterey  by  our  naval  force 
under  Com.  Stockton  on  the  7th  of  July,  and  of  the  design  of  the 
Commodore  to  co-operate  in  the  pursuit  of  Castro.  The  flag  of 
independence  was  instantly  hauled  down  and  that  of  the  Union 
hoisted,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  settlers  and  forces. 

A  combined  pursuit  was  instantly  undertaken,  and  on  the  12th 
of  August,  Com.  Stockton  and  Col.  Fremont  entered  and  occu 
pied  Cuidad  de  los  Angelos,  without  opposition  ;  the  Governor 
General,  Pico,  the  Commandant,  Gen.  Castro,  and  all  the  Mex 
ican  authorities  having  fled.  Thus  in  the  short  space  of  sixty 
days  was  the  whole  enterprise  achieved  ;  the  Mexican  authorities 
themselves  proclaiming  it  to  be  a  conquest,  not  merely  of  the  north 
ern  part,  but  of  the  whole  of  the  province  of  the  Califoinias. 

Information  of  these  events,  and  that  all  opposition  had  ceased 
in  the  provinces,  was  at  once  sent  to  Gen.  Kearney,  at  Santa  Fe, 
where  that  officer  was  known  to  be,  under  orders  to  proceed  to  Cal 
ifornia  to  co-operate  with  the  naval  forces,  as  soon  as  the  state  of 
affairs  in  New  Mexico  should  admit  of  his  departure.  Without 
knowledge  of  the  operations  in  California,  he  had  left  Santa  Fe 
for  that  province  in  the  latter  part  of  September,  1846,  at  the 
head  of  three  hundred  Dragoons;  but  a  short  time  atterwards  re 
ceiving  the  despatch  of  Com.  Stockton,  he  sent  back  two  hundred 
of  his  men  to  Santa  Fe,  and  with  the  other  hundred  as  a  guard, 
proceeded  on  his  march  to  assume  the  command  of  California. 

The  route  of  this  small  but  gallant  corps,  lay  through  a  country 
of  extreme  difficulty,  and  one  comparatively  unknown.  It  first 
led  down  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande  something  more  than  two 
hundred  miles.  Thence  westwardly  to  the  sources  of  the  Gila ; 
and  then  along  the  course  of  that  stream  five  hundred  miles  to  its 
junction  with  the  Colorado  of  the  west,  which  falls  into  the  Gulf 
of  California.  From  this  point  a  march  of  forty  miles  down  the 
Colorado,  and  of  sixty  across  the  great  desert,  brought  the  hardy 


648  THE    MEXICAN   WAR.  [1847. 

adventurers  on  the  2d  of  December,  to  Agua  Caliento,  a  frontier 
settlement' of  Upper  Caliiornia. 

Two  days  afterwards,  Kearney  still  on  the  advance,  was  joined 
by  Capt,  Gillespie  with  a  few  volunteers.  This  officer  had  been 
sent  by  Com.  Stockton  with  the  news  that  the  enemy,  to  the  num 
ber  of  six  hundred  or  seven  hundred,  were  again  in  arms. 

On  the  6th  of  December,  Kearney,  with  eighty  men,  attacked 
and  defeated  twice  his  number  at  San  Pasqual,  after  an  obstinate 
fight  in  which  Captains  Johnson  and  Moore,  Lieut.  Hammond, 
two  Sergeants,  two  Corporals  and  12  privates  were  killed,  and  a 
large  proportion,  including  the  General,  were  wounded.  The 
Mexican  loss  was  also  very  considerable. 

On  the  12th,  Kearney  reached  San  Diego,  and  formed  a  junction 
with  Com.  Stockton,  commander  of  the  Pacific  Squadron,  and  then 
acting  on  shore  as  Governor  of  California.  Here  terminated  a 
most  arduous  march  of  1,043  miles,  through  a  country  never  be 
fore  traversed  by  an  armed  force,  to  the  great  credit  of  the  gal 
lant  party  who  had  accomplished  the  bold  enterprise. 

On  the  29th  of  December,  a  force  of  about  five  hundred  men 
fromtheU.  S.  Ships Congress,Savannah,  Portsmouth  and  Cyane,  in 
co-operation  with  100  mounted  men  under  Gen.  Kearney,  was  dis 
patched  against  Cuidad  de  los  Angelos  by  Com.  Stockton.  This 
city  had  again  fallen  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  was  their  strong 
hold,  and  the  chief  city  in  that  part  of  the  country.  The  object 
of  the  expedition  was  not  only  to  capture  this  important  post,  and 
thus  terminate  all  resistance  in  the  province,  but  to  succor  a  party 
of  Americans,  known  to  be  moving  on  the  same  point,  from  Mon 
terey  in  Upper  California.  On  the  8th  of  January  this  force, 
after  a  march  of  one  hundred  and  forty  miles,  reached  the  San 
Gabriel  river,  where  it  found  the  enemy,  under  Gov.  Flores,  full 
six  hundred  strong,  with  artillery  stationed  on  heights  command 
ing  the  river,  and  apparently  determined  to  dispute  its  passage,  A 
severe  conflict  ensued,  which  lasted  an  hour  and  a  half;  when  the 
heights  were  carried,  and  the  enemy  defeated  and  driven  from  the 
field.  Next  day  they  were  again  met  and  defeated  on  the  plains 
of  Misa.  The  American  loss  in  both  engagements  was  small, 
being  only  one  private  killed,  and  two  officers  and  eleven  privates 
wounded.  That  of  the  enemy  is  not  known. 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  649 

Without  further  resisting,  tae  detachment,  on  the  10th  of  Jan 
uary,  took  peacable  possession  of  Cuidad  de  los  Angelos. 

A  few  days  afterwards,  some  of  the  leaders  of  the  Californians 
met  Lieut.  Col.  Fremont,  who  was  in  command  of  four  hundred 
volunteers,  near  San  Fernando,  and  entered  into  a  capitulation,  by 
which  the  people  under  arms  and  in  the  field  agreed  to  disperse 
and  remain  in  quiet  submission  to  the  American  authorities.  Thus 
the  various  disturbances  that  had  succeeded  the  first  occupation 
of  the  province  by  the  forces  under  Stockton  and  Fremont,  were 
put  down  ;  and  from  that  time  our  countrymen  remained  in  undis 
puted  possession  of  Upper  California.  But  efforts  were  made  by 
the  Mexicans  to  recover  the  lower  part  of  the  province. 

In  Nov.  1847,  the  posts  of  San  Jose  and  La  Paz,  lowr  down 
on  the  Peninsula,  were  attacked  by  the  Mexicans.  Both  attempts 
were  gallantly  defeated  ;  the  former  by  Lieut.  Haywood  of  the 
Navy,  with  a  small  party  of  Marines,  and  the  latter  by  Lieut. 
Col.  Burton,  with  one  hundred  and  twelve  men  of  the  New  York 
volunteers.  In  these  affairs  the  enemy  lost  a  considerable  num 
ber  of  men.  Little  of  importance  afterwards  occurred  in  this  part 
of  the  seat  of  war  ;  and  in  February,  1848,  the  treaty  of  Mexico 
ceded  to  us  the  greater  part  of  this  rich  and  important  province. 

The  transfer  of  Upper  California,  with  its  noble  harbor  of  San 
Francisco,  and  its  long  reach  of  Pacific  coast  within  a  mild  lati 
tude,  is  a  most  important  event  in  our  history.  It  gives  to  the 
enterprise  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  an  outlet  on  the 
Pacific,  and  a  direct  communication  with  the  Islands  of  that  ocean, 
and  the  countries  of  Asia  beyond,  wThich  must  soon  exert  an  influ 
ence  on  our  commerce  and  on  the  destinies  of  the  world,  yet  almost 
undreamed  of. 

The  discovery  of  large  quantities  of  gold  in  California,  about 
the  time  of  its  acquisition  by  the  United  States,  is  another,  and 
probably  the  most  remarkable  result  of  the  war  with  Mexico. — 
For  centuries  did  the  precious  metal  lie,  almost  unnoticed,  nnder 
the  eye  of  the  indolent  Spaniard,  till  anglo-saxon  enterprise,  in 
the  characteristic  attempt  to  adapt  the  powers  of  nature  to  the 
useful  purposes  of  life,  threw  it  into  light.  The  effect  was  instan 
taneous.  Thousands  rushed  to  gather  wealth  ;  and  though  many 


650  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

have  been,  and  more  will  be  disappointed,  a  sufficient  number  suc 
ceed  to  keep  up  the  human  tide  to  this  modern  Ophir.  So  large 
indeed  is  the  number  of  adventurers,  that  probably  the  year  1850 
will  behold  California  added  as  a  State  to  the  growing  list  of  our 
Union. 

What  the  effect  upon  our  character  as  a  people  will  be,  if  an 
amount  of  the  precious  metal,  equal  to  the  expectation  of  the  most 
sanguine,  be  suddenly  added  to  the  national  wealth,  is  a  question 
of  grave  movement.  Though,  beyond  all  doubt,  a  sudden  influx 
of  that  kind  must  be  injurious  ;  yet  it  will  probably  be  far  less  so 
than  a  similar  event  in  the  history  of  Spain  and  Portugal  proved 
to  be,  when  America  was  first  discovered.  The  commerce  of  the 
world,  and  the  arts  of  life  now  require  and  will  absorb  a  much 
larger  amount  of  gold,  without  materially  disturbing  the  condition 
of  communities,  than  then  ;  and  the  habits  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States  are  much  better  calculated  to  bear  the  effects  of 
such  a  change,  than  were  those  of  the  proud,  indolent  and  lux 
urious  c&nquerors  of  Peru,  Brazil  and  Mexico.  On  the  whole, 
therefore,  it  may  reasonably  be  expected  that  the  evils  usually 
attendant  upon  wealth  acquired  suddenly  and  without  proportion 
ate  labor,  may,  in  this  case,  be  either  neutralized  by  the  peculiar 
ities  of  our  national  habits,  or  overbalanced  by  the  undoubted 
benefits  attendant  on  the  acquisition  of  this  great  western  outlet 
for  our  commerce  and  our  enterprise. 


[1847.  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  651 

CHAPTER  IX. 
VERA   CRUZ. 

Determination  to  strike  at  Mexico  by  a  new  route — Concentration  of  forces  under  Scott 
at  Lobos — Landing  at  Vera  Cruz— Investment  of  the  place — Bombirdment  during  fivednys 
— Capitulation — Terras— Spoils — Value  of  the  place  as  a  post — Services  of  the  Navy — 
Cause  of  delay  at  Vera  Cruz. 

THE  unbroken  series  of  defeats  suffered  by  the  Mexicans  on  the 
Rio  Grande,  and  the  loss  of  New  Leon,  Coahuli,   Chihuahua, 
New  Mexico,  and  the  Californias,  having  failed  to  convince  them 
of  the  futility  of  further  hostilities,  it  became    the  duty  of  the 
United  States  Government  to  adopt  some  more  summary  means 
of  bringing  the  war  to  a  close.     The  mode  concluded  on  was  to 
land  a  strong  force  at  Vera  Cruz  ;  and  after  capturing  that  place, 
with  the  Castle  of  San  Juan  D'Ulloa  by  which  it  is  defended,  to 
push  directly  for  and  take  the  city  of  Mexico.     Nothing  short 
of  this  extreme  measure  was  sufficient  to  convince  the  Mexican 
nation,  or  rather  their  rulers  of  the  impracticability  of  their  designs. 
As  early  as  September,  1846,  measures  had  been  commenced 
by  our  Government  to  accomplish  this  unavoidable  but  decisive 
object.   After  the  capture  of  Monterey  a  large  portion  of  Gen.  Tay 
lor's  troops  were  withdrawn  from  him  for  this  purpose,  and  men 
and  munitions  were  collected  from  every  quarter.     The  forces 
designed  for  the  expedition  were  concentrated  at  Lobos,  a  small 
Island  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  on  the  coast  of  the  department  or 
State  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  about  half  way  between  the  mouth  of 
the  Rio  Grande  and  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz.     Here  they  remain 
ed  awaiting  the  necessary  means  of  transportation,  and  of  debar- 
cation  at  the  point  of  attack,  till  the  beginning  of  March,  1847  ; 
I    the  whole  number,  when  they  sailed  from  Lobos,  being  12,000, 
under  the  command  of  Major  Gen.  Scott. 

Vera  Cruz  is  a  strongly  fortified  city,  situated  in  the  depart 
ment  of  the  same  name,  and  on  the  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
in  N.  Lat.  19°.  From  its  strength  and  position  it  has  long  been 
held  as  the  most  important  point  on  the  Atlantic  coast  of  Mexico. 
In  front  of  it  are  a  number  of  Islands,  called  the  Sacrifices, 


6<32  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847, 

forming  a  good  harbor.  Its  chief  means  of  defence  consist  of 
the  Castle  of  San  Juan  D'Ulloa,  placed  on  a  small  isle  opposite 
the  town.  This  is  the  most  regular  iortress  on  the  Continent, 
and  is  said  to  be  second  only  to  Gibaraltar  in  strength  of  fortifi 
cation.  Both  the  town  and  Castle,  were,  at  the  time  spoken  of, 
so  amply  supplied  with  heavy  guns  and  all  necessary  munitions 
and  stores,  and  so  strongly  manned,  as  in  the  estimation  of  the 
enemy,  to  be  safe  against  every  attack.  But  nothing  could  re 
sist  the  skill  and  valor  of  the  United  States  troops. 

A  landing  was  effected  near  the  city,  which  had  a  garrison  of 
5,000,  exclusive  of  those  in  the  Castle,  on  the  9th  of  March,  by 
the  wrhole  army,  in  three  divisions.  Brig.  Gen.  Worth's  brigade 
of  regulars  led  the  descent.  These  were  quickly  followed  by 
Maj.  Gen.  Patterson's  division  of  volunteers  ;  and  these  by  Brig. 
Gen.  Twiggs'  reserve  brigade  of  regulars.  The  three  lines  suc 
cessively  landed  in  sixty-seven  surf  boats  ;  each  boat  conducted 
by  a  naval  officer  and  rowed  by  sailors  from  Com.  Conner's 
squadron,  whose  lighter  vessels  flanked  the  boats  so  as  to  be  ready 
to  protect  the  operation  by  their  cross-fire.  The  whole  force 
reached  the  shore  in  fine  style,  and  without  accident,  or  any  loss 
in  driving  the  enemy  from  the  ground  to  be  occupied. 

The  line  of  investment  was  not  completed  till  the  12th,  owing 
to  the  nature  of  the  ground  which  consists  of  abrupt  sand  hills, 
separated  by  almost  impassable  thickets  of  chapparel.  The  want 
of  land  carriage  and  the  prevalence  of  a  JNorther,  or  strong  cold 
wind  from  the  north  retarded  its  completion.  During  the  exten 
sion  of  the  line  of  investment,  Capt.  Alburtis  of  the  2d  Infantry, 
and  two  privates,  were  killed,  and  a  few  men  were  wounded. 

On  the  22nd,  Gen.  Scott,  having  completed  a  portion  of  his 
batteries,  summoned  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz  to  surrender.  Mo 
rales,  who  commanded  both  city  and  Castle,  having  refused,  im 
mediately  afterwards  the  land  batteries  and  the  smaller  vessels  of 
the  Gulf  Squadron,  now  under  command  of  Com.  Perry,  opened 
their  fire.  On  the  same  day  Capt.  Vinton,  3d  artillery,  was 
killed  in  the  trenches. 

The  bombardment  was  kept  up  till  the  26th,  the  guns  being 
gradually  increased  as  the  means  of  the  besiegers  permitted,  till 
five  batteries  mounted  with  heavy  metal,  throwing  both  shot  and 


1847-]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  653 

shell,  were  in  full  and  most  destructive  play.     On  the  morning  ot   | 
the  day  just  named,  Gen.  Landero,  upon  whom  Gov.  Morales   | 
had  devolved  the  principal  command,  made  on  overture  to  surren 
der.     Commissioners  were  immediately  appointed  bv  each  com 
mander,  who  finally  arranged  the  terms  of  surrender  for  the  city 
and  castle.     On  the  29th,  the  United  States  troops  took  posses 
sion  of  both  places,  and  hoisted  their  victorious  flag,  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  Worth. 

By  the  articles  of  capitulation,  the  whole  garrison  (5.000)  be 
came  prisoners  of  war,  but  were  paroled,  not  to  serve  again  until 
regularly  exchanged  ;  all  arms,  ammunitions,  and  public  proper 
ty  was  given  up  to  the  U.  S.;  private  property  was  protected, 
and  absolute  freedom  of  religious  worship  guarantied  to  all. 

Among  the  spoils  were  5,000  stands  of  arms,  400  pieces  of  ord 
nance,  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores. 

The  whole  American  cost  of  this  brilliant  achievement,  was 
eleven  killed,  two  of  whom  were  the  officers  above  named,  and 

fifty-six  wounded.     The  Mexican  loss  in  men  was  great,  but  has 
not  been  ascertained. 

Thus  was  the  capture  of  this  renowned  fortress  added  to  the 
long  list  of  victories  of  the  United  States  troops  ;  and  thus  glo 
riously  \vas  the  new  route  to  the  city  of  Mexico  opened  by  the 
gallant  Scott  and  his  army.  With  this  conquest  was  acquired 
the  means  of  controling  the  commercial  intercourse  of  the  enemy, 
and  of  excluding  foreign  aid  and  supplies  along  the  coast  of  the 
Gulf.  With  it  also  was  established  a  new  and  preferable  base  of 
operations  against  the  interior  and  the  enemy's  capitol. 

In  addition  to  the  important  service  rendered  by  the  navy  in    | 
the  debarcation  of  the  forces  at  Vera  Cruz,  that  gallant  arm  of    I 
our  national  defence,  continued  its  labors  during  the  entire  siege.    ! 
The  lighter  vessels  of  the  fleet  approached  as  near  the  city  and 
castle  as  the  depth  of  water  would  permit ;  and  continued  at  the 
imminent  risk  of  being  sunk  by  the  guns  of  the  castle,  to  aid  in 
the  bombardment.     A  detachment  of  sailors  also,  under  the  alter 
nate  commands  of  the  naval  captains,  Aulick  and  Mayo,  manned 
and  served  one  of  the  main  batteries  on  shore  to  the  end  of  the 
siege.     In  fact  our  brave  tars  exhibited  their  usual  courage  and 


654  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

gallantry  whenever  an  opportunity  presented  itself.     Their  con 
duct  on  all  such  occasionsabundantly  shows  that  if  the  enemy  had 
possessed  a  navy  to  cope  with  them,  their  deeds  on  their  own  ele 
ment  would  have  been  as  creditable  as  those  of  the  army  on  shore. 
After  the  surrender  of  Vera  Cruz,  nearly  two  weeks  transpired 
before  Gen.  Scott  was  in  a  condition  to  make  a  forward  movement 
towards  the  city  of  Mexico.     This  delay  was  probably  unavoid 
able,  and  was  mainly  caused  by  the  want  of  proper  means  of  trans 
portation,  which  were  required  in  large  quantities,  and  of  a  differ 
ent  kind  from  those  usually  to  be  provided.     Few  countries  inter 
pose  so  many  and  such  formidable  obstacles  to  the  progress  of  an 
invading  army  as  that  of  Mexico.     In  no  part  of  it  do  they  pre 
sent  themselves  with  a  more  forbidding  aspect,  than  on  the  route 
which  now  lay  before  our  troops.     It  was  therefore  a  matter  of 
no  little  difficulty  to  provide  means  of  transportation  for  a  large 
army  through  such  a  region  ;  and,  however  much  the  General 
may,  at  the  time,  have  lamented  this  pause  in  his  career,  the  re 
sult  will  show  that  if  it  did  not  increase  the  rapidity  or  brilliancy 
of  the  conquest,  it  undoubtedly  did  not  diminish  the  ultimate  cer 
tainty  of  success.     The  time  thus  thrown  on  his  hands  was  also 
on  his  part  not  only  employed  in  perfecting  his  plans  and  increas 
ing  his  means,  but  in  obtaining  more  accurate  information  as  to 
the  nature  of  the  country  to  be  traversed,  and  the  best  mode  of 
reaching  the  main  object  of   the  campaign.     And  though  the 
same  time  was  unquestionably  taken  advantage  of  by  the  enemy, 
to  increase  his  means  of  defence,  yet  every  movement  in  the  pro 
gress  of  the  expedition  to  the  interior,  shows  that  it  was  one  of 
deliberate  and  careful  adaption  of  means  to  the  end  in  view ;  and 
that  therefore  it  was  better  to  permit  him  this  advantage,  than  to 
risk  the  success  of  the  whole  army  on  a  hasty  or  ill  provided  ad 
vance. 

During  this  delay  of  the  troops  at  Vera  Cruz,  arrangements 
were  made  for  the  safety  and  good  order  of  that  important  post, 
as  being  the  one  through  which  the  army  was  to  be  reinforced 
and  supplied  during  the  remainder  of  the  war  in  this  quarter. — 
A  military  governor  was  appointed,  with  a  sufficient  garrison, 
both  in  the  city  and  the  castle  ;  rules  were  adopted  for  regulation 


o 

d 

C 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  655      j 

/N^v^^^^^^-^^^w^^^  | 

of  the  trade  and  police  of  the  town;  and  every  means  taken  to 
ensure  order  and  quiet. 


CHAPTER  X. 


CERRO    GORDO. 

Advance  from  Vera  Cruz— Position  of  Cerro  Gordo— Scott's  phn  of  attack— Twiggs'  en 
gagement  on  the  17lh — Pillow's  false  attack  on  the  18th — Main  attacks  by  Harney,  Riley 
and  Shields— Prisoners  and  loss — Pursuit  under  Patterson — Jalapa  entered  by  him— Peiote 
by  Worth— Puebla  occupied— Discharge  of  Volunteers— Reinforcement. 

The  necessary  preparations  being  in  sufficient  forwardness,  on 
the  8th  of  April,  the  Army  commenced  its  forward  movement  from 
Vera  Cruz  towards  the  city  of  Mexico.  The  whole  effective 
marching  force  was  eight  thousand  five  hundred  men. 

About  the  15th,  a  place  called  Plan  del  Rio,  on  the  Rio  del 
Plan,  on  the  Jalapa  road  to  the  capitol,  was  reached  by  the  army. 
Here  the  different  divisions  encamped  as  they  came  up,  the  diffi 
cult  passes  in  front  being  found  occupied  by  twelve  thousand  Mex 
icans,  under  Gen.  Santa  Anna,  and  preparations  were  made  to 
force  them. 

The  position  chosen  by  the  enemy  was  one  of  great  natural 
strength,  skilfully  and  carefully  fortified.  The  tierra  caliente,  or 
low  level  land,  terminates  at  Plan  del  Rio,  the  site  of  the  Ameri 
can  camp;  from  which  the  road  ascends  immediately  in  a  long 
circuit  among  lofty  hills,  whose  commanding  points  had  all  been 
fortified  and  garrisoned  by  the  enemy.  His  right,  which  was  en 
trenched,  rested  on  a  precipice  overhanging  an  impassable  ravine 
that  forms  the  bed  of  the  stream ;  and  his  entrenchments  extend 
ed  without  interruption  to  the  road,  on  which  was  placed  a  formi 
dable  battery.  On  the  other  side  of  the  road,  and  about  one  mile 
further  back  than  the  batteries  on  the  right,  the  lofty  and  difficult 
height  of  Cerro  Gordo  commanded  the  approaches  in  all  directions. 
The  main  body  of  the  Mexican  army  was  encamped  on  level 


656  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  1847.] 

ground,  with  a  battery  of  five  pieces,  half  a  mile  in  the  rear  of 
the  height  of  Cerro  Gordo,  towards  Jalapa. 

Gen.  Scott's  plan  of  operation  was,  if  possible,  to  turn  theenemy's 
left,  while  menacing  his  front,  and  thus  attack  him  in  the  rear. — 
To  effect  this,  it  was  necessary  to  discover  a  route  for  a  force  to 
debouche  on  the  Jalapa  road,  if  possible,  beyond  Cerro  Gordo. 

The  necessary  reconnoissance  was  made  by  Lieut.  Beauregard, 
and  afterwards  by  Capt.  Lee  of  the  Engineers;  and  a  practicable 
road  opened  along  difficult  slopes  and  over  chasms,  until  arriving 
at  the  Mexican  lines,  further  advance  seemed  impossible  without 
an  action;  and  it  became  obvious  that  to  gain  the  desired  point  on 
the  Jalapa  road,  the  heights  of  Cerro  Gordo  must  be  carried. 

On  the  17th  Twiggs'  division  of  regulars,  reinforced  by  Shields' 
brigade  of  Volunteers,  was  thrown  into  position  to  prepare  for  the 
accomplishment  of  this  indispensable  object.  In  taking  the  ground 
for  its  bivouac  and  occupying  the  opposing  height,  for  the  Ameri 
can  heavy  battery,  the  division  was  drawn  into  action  with  2,000 
of  the  enemy.  Col.  Harney  coming  up  with  the  rifle  regiment 
and  first  artillery,  drove  the  Mexicans  from  the  disputed  height," 
on  which  the  guns  were  placed  in  battery  during  the  night,  pre 
paratory  to  the  attack  on  Cerro  Gordo  next  morning.  The  same 

night  a  howitzer  was  put  in  position,  across  the  river  opposite  the 
enemy's  right. 

Ea^y  on  the  18th  the  columns  moved  to  the  attack;  and  the 
success  was  speedy  and  decisive. 

That  of  Pillow,  being  merely  intended  to  menace  the  enemy's 
right,  or  rather  front,  and  attract  his  attention,  while  the  main 
movement  to  turn  his  rear  was  in  progress,  was  completely  suc 
cessful  in  effecting  the  object ;  though,  as  was  foreseen,  it  was 
ultimately  compelled  to  retire. 

Daring  this  feint,  the  main  attack  was  gallantly  made  by 
Twiggs'  division,  which,  storming  the  strong  and  vital  point  of 
Cerra  Gordo,  pierced  the  enemy's  centre,  gained  command  of  all 
his  entrenchments,  and  cut  them  off  from  mutual  support.  This 
brilliant  feat  was  performed  by  the  1st  Artillery  under  Col.Childs, 
the  3d  Infantry  under  Capt.  Alexander,  the  7th  Infantry  under 
Lieut.  Col.  Plympton,  and  the  Rifles  under  Major  Sumner;  the 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  657 

whole  being  led  by  Col.  Harney  of  the  2nd  Dragoons.  This 
brigade  ascended  the  long  and  difficult  slope  of  Cerro  Gordo, 
without  shelter,  and  under  a  tremendous  fire  of  artillery  and  mus 
ketry,  with  perfect  steadiness;  planting  their  colors  while  the  ene 
my's  flag  was  still  flying;  and  after  some  minutes  sharp  firing, 
finished  the  conquest  with  the  bayonet. 

While  Harney's  brigade  were  thus  engaged,  a  brigade  of  In 
fantry  under  Col.  Riley  advanced  against  the  enemy's  main  body, 
or  reserve,  in  the  rear,  under  the  immediate  command  of  Santa 
Anna.  Their  own  guns  from  Cerro  Gordo  being  also  soon  brought 
to  bear  upon  them,  the  Mexicans  fled  in  confusion.  At  the  same 
time  Shields'  brigade,  assaulting  the  extreme  left,  carried  the 
battery  of  five  guns  on  the  Jalapa  road,  and  completed  the  route. 

The  victorious  army  were  quite  embarrassed  with  the  results  of 
their  success.  3,000  men  laid  their  arms  down,  with  the  usual 
proportion  of  officers,  among  whom  were  General  Pinson,  Jarre- 
ro,  La  Vega,  Noviega,  and  Obando.  Among  the  spoils  were  large 
quantities  of  heavy  ordnance,  field  batteries,  small  arms,  and  all 
kinds  of  supplies  and  ammunition.  The  troops  were  all  paroled, 
for  want  of  provisions  to  feed  them,  or  of  a  sufficient  force  to 
guard  them  to  Vera  Cruz.  The  General  officers,  refusing  to  give 
their  parole,  were  sent  to  the  United  States.  The  small  arms  and 
accoutrements  were  destroyed ;  the  heavy  guns  left  on  the  ground, 
and  the  field  batteries  taken  with  the  army  for  service. 

The  American  loss  during  both  days  was  sixty-three  killed, 
and  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight  wounded.  That  of  the  enemy 
was  over  1,000  in  killed  and  wounded,  exclusive  of  prisoners. 

Among  the  wounded  in  the  American  army  was  Gen.  Shields, 

whose  life  was  long  despaired  of;   but,  to  the  astonishment  of  all 

who  knew  his  condition,  he  ultimately  recovered.     In  the  list  of 

the  Mexican  slain  was  Gen.  Vasquer,  who  fell  in  defence  of  the 

battery  on  the  main  height  of  Cerro  Gordo. 

The  instant  the  fate  of  the  day  was  decided,  the  Cavalry  of  the 
American  Army,  and  Taylor's  and  Wall's  field    batteries,  were 
pushed  on  towards  Jalapa,  in  advance   of  Twiggs'  division  and 
Shields'  brigade  (now  Baker's)  of  Infantry,  the  whole  under  com-  |j 
mand  of  Major  General  Patterson.     In  the  pursuit,  many  Mexi- 


658  THE  MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

cans  were  taken  and  many  slain;  but  the  men  and  horses,  being 
soon  exhausted  by  the  heat  and  the  distance,  were  early  encamp 
ed  for  the  night  at  El  Encero. 

On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  Gen-  Patterson  again  moved  for 
ward  with  the  Dragoons,  and  entered  the  important  city  of  Jalapa, 
with  a  deputation  from  its  authorities,  who  had  come  out  to  im 
plore  protection  for  the  inhabitants. 

At  noon  on  the  22d  of  April,  Gen.  Worth,  at  the  head  of  his 
division,  occupied  the  castle  and  town  of  Perote  without  resist 
ance  ;  the  enemy  having  withdrawn  the  night  before.  This  is  one 
of  the  strongest  places  in  Mexico,  being,  as  is  said,  only  second 
to  the  castle  of  San  Juan  d'Ulloa.  Here  were  found  fifty-four 
guns  and  mortars  in  good  condition,  1,165  cannon  balls,  14,300 
bombs  and  hand-grenades,  and  500  muskets.  This  place  is  about 
one-third  of  the  distance  from  Vera  Cruz  to  Mexico. 

Soon  after,  without  opposition,  the  advance  of  our  troops  was 
pushed  to  the  city  of  Puebla.  Thus,  in  the  short  space  of  thirty 
days,  alter  leaving  Vera  Cruz,  our  troops  had  advanced  through 
two  of  the  most  densely  peopled  and  hostile  departments  of  Mex 
ico,  nearly  two  hundred  miles  in  the  direction  of  its  capitol. 

Before  leaving  Jalapa,  3,700  volunteers  left  the  army — their 
time  having  expired.  This,  and  other  difficulties,  caused  the  ex 
pedition  '.o  remain  at  Puebla  till  the  beginning  of  August.  At  the 
latter  period,  however,  being  reinforced  by  the  arrival  of  5,000 
new  troops,  the  army  was  again  in  the  condition  to  make  a  for 
ward  movement. 


[1847.  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  659 

CHAPTER  XI. 

CONTRERAS — CHERUBUSCO. 

March  of  the  troops  from  Puebla — Difficulties  of  the  enterprise— Scott's  plan  of  attack 
ing  Mexico— March  to  the  South — Battle  of  Contreras — Forces  engaged  and  loss — Attack 
on  San  Antonio — Position  of  Cherubusco — Attack  upon  and  capture  of  it— Forces  engaged 
— Shields'  battle — Charge  up  to  the  City  gates — Armistice — Loss  on  both  sides. 

IN  four  divisions  the  American  army  moved  forward  from  Pu 
ebla;  Twiggs'  on  the  7th,  Quitman's  on  the  8th,  Worth's  on  the 
9th,  and  Pillow's  on  the  10th  of  August. 

The  undertaking  to  be  achieved,  compared  with  the  means 
employed,  was  one  of  extraordinary  difficulty  and  daring;  and  to 
ensure  success,  required  an  unusual  combination  of  military  science 
and  disciplined  valor.     It  was  no  less  than  the  conquest  of  the 
chosen  place  of  defence  and  refuge,  to  which  all  the  defeated  Gen 
erals  and  the  whole  army  of  the  enemy  had  retired  for  safety  — 
the  ancient  seat  of  the    Aztec  empire ;  afterwards  the  splendid 
metropolis  of  the  Spanish  Viceroy;  and  now,  the  fortified  capi- 
tol  ot  a  nation  of  eight  millions  of  people;  a  people  long  prac 
tised   and  well  versed  in  the  modern  improvements  of  military 
science;  occupying,  too,  a  place  strong  in   its  natural  position, 
and  secured,  as  they  fully  believed,  against  all  successful  assault, 
as  well  by  numerous  skilfully  constructed   fortifications,  as  by  a 
garrison  of  over  thirty  thousand   men,  resolved  on  the  most  des 
perate  resistance. 

Unappalled  by  these  formidable  obstacles,  our  gallant  army  of 
little  more  than  ten  thousand  effective  men,  with  undoubting  con 
fidence  entered  upon  the  enterprise;  and,  without  a  single  failing 
in  plan,  or  a  moment's  hesitation  in  any  part  of  the  complicated 
execution,  carried  the  flag  of  their  country  triumphantly  over 
every  impediment. 

The  city  of  Mexico,  now  the  grand  object  of  the  American 
army,  is  situated  in  a  great  basin  or  valley,  surrounded  by  moun 
tains,  the  plain  on  which  it  stands  being  at  an  elevation  of  7,665 


660  THE   MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Its  population  is  over  200,000  ; 
its  wealth  is  very  great,  and  the  public  buildings,  particularly  its 
churches,  are  numerous  and  magnificent.  On  the  east,  south  and 
north,  are  several  large  lakes,  into  which  the  streams  from  the 
neighboring  hills  discharge  themselves;  and  the  soil  in  the  vicinity 
is  fertile,  sustaining  a  numerous  population. 

In  a  military  point  of  view,  it  is  described  as  standing  on  a 
slight  swell  of  ground,  near  the  centre  of  an  irregular  basin, 
and  is  girdled  in  its  greatest  extent  by  a  navigable  canal  of  con 
siderable  breadth  and  depth,  which  serves  at  once  for  drainage, 
custom-house  purposes,  and  military  defence,  being  very  difficult 
to  bridge  in  the  presence  of  an  enemy.  Across  this  are  eight 
entrances  or  gates,  each  defended  bv  a  system  of  strong  works 
that  seemed  to  require  nothing  but  men  and  guns  to  render  them 
impregnable.  All  the  approaches  to  the  city  are  over  high  cause 
ways  cut,  at  the  present  juncture,  in  many  places  to  impede  the 
advance  of  the  American  troops;  and  flanked  on  both  sides,  by 
ditches  of  unusual  dimensions. 

On  descending  into  the  valley  of  the  city  of  Mexico,  on  the 
12th  and  L3th,  at  a  point  seventy-five  miles  from  Puebla,  near  the 
head  of  lake  Chalco,  with  lake  Tescuco  a  little  in  front  and  to  the 
right,  the  American  leader  found  that  the  eastern  front  of  the  city 
— that  next  him — was  too  strongly  fortified  to  be  carried,  except 
at  a  vast  loss  of  life.  To  avoid  this,  the  design  was  at  once 
adopted  of  turning  the  strong  eastern  defences  of  that  place,  by 
passing  round  south  of  lake  Chalco  and  Jochimicho,  between  ten 
and  fifteen  miles  from  the  city,  so  as  to  reach  the  hard  ground  at 
the  foot  of  the  hills,  to  the  south  and  southwest,  and  gain  the 
Acapulco  road,  which  approaches  from  the  southwest. 

This  route — deemed  impracticable  by  the  enemy — of  27  miles, 
over  a  most  difficult  country,  was  accomplished  by  the  whole 
army,  by  the  18th  ;  and  the  head  quarters  were  then  at  San  Au- 
gustin,  on  the  Acapulco  road,  nine  miles  from  the  capitol. 

It  was  found  that  the  strongly  fortified  village  of  San  Antonio, 
on  the  direct  road  to  the  city,  could  not  be  prudently  approached 
in  front ;  and  that  it  could  only  be  turned  to  the  left,  over  a  diffi 
cult  field  of  volcanic  rocks.  While  Quitraan's  division,  covered 


[1847.  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  661 

by  Twiggs'  was  opening  a  road  for  this  purpose  on  the  19th,  about 
3  o'clock,  P.  M.,  a  strong  entrenched  camp  of  the  enemy,  mount 
ing  22  pieces  of  artillery,  was  encountered.  The  two  divisions 
immediately  assaulted  this  work,  but  with  no  effect,  it  being  hour 
ly  strengthened  by  reinforcements  passing  through  the  village  of 
Contreras  or  Ansalda,  from  the  capitol.  Gen.  Scott  at  once  or 
dered  this  intermediate  post,  which  lay  half  a  mile  nearer  the  city 
than  the  entrenched  camp,  to  be  occupied  for  the  purpose  of  cut 
ting  off  the  stream  of  reinforcements.  This  was  accomplished  by 
Col.  Morgan  and  Gen.  Shields,  by  dark.  Thus  closed  the  19th. 

During  the  night,  other  troops  were  concentrated  at  Contreras  ; 
and  at  3,  P.  M.,  on  the  20th,  the  rear  of  the  entrenched  camp 
being  thus  gained,  the  attack  was  made.  It  was  led  by  Riley, 
followed  successively  by  Caclwalader's  and  Smith's  brigades,  the 
whole  under  command  of  Gen.  Smith.  The  march  was  rendered 
tedious  by  darkness,  rain  and  mud  ;  but  at  sunrise  Riley  had 
reached  an  elevation  behind  the  enemy,  whence  he  precipitated  his 
columns,  and  in  seventeen  minutes  the  work  was  carried,  and  the 
American  flag  was  waving  over  it. 

The  American  force  engaged  in  this  brilliant  affair  was  4,500 
without  Cavalry  or  Artillery.  The  enemy  had  7000  actually  en 
gaged  on  the  spot,  protected  by  their  works  ;  with  at  least  12,000 
more  hovering  in  sight.  Their  loss  was  seven  hundred  killed, 
eight  hundred  and  thirteen  prisoners,  of  whom  eighty-eight  were 
officers,  including  four  Generals ;  besides  many  colors,  twenty-two 
pieces  of  brass  ordnance,  thousands  of  small  arms  and  accoutre 
ments,  an  immense  quantity  of  ammunition,  seven  hundred  pack 
mules  and  many  horses. 

Among  the  guns  were  two  brass  six  pounders,  taken  from  the 
4th  artillery  at  Buena  Vista.  These  were  recaptured  at  Contre 
ras  by  a  company  of  the  same  Regiment  that  lost  them  on  the 
Rio  Grande. 

But  the  chief  advantage  of  the  victory  was,  the  opening  of 
one  of  the  roads  to  the  capitol  ;  and  the  certainty  of  final  success 
thus  secured. 

Immediately  after  the  carrying  of  the  entrenched  camp,  Worth's 

and  Quitman's   divisions,  which  were  advancing  to  aid  in  its  as 
sault,  bnt  did  not  arrive  in  time,  were  ordered  back  to  attack  the 


662  THE   MEXICAN   WAR.  [1847. 

post  of  San  Antonio,  which  lay  between  San  Augustin  and  the 
capitol,  on  the  main  road.  The  object  was  to  open  a  shorter  and 
better  passage  for  the  siege  and  other  trains.  This  was  soon  and 
gallantly  effected,  and  the  garrison,  3,000  in  number,  abandoned 
the  post.  Most  of  them  took  shelter  in  Churubusco,  a  hamlet  one 
mile  in  advance,  containing  a  strongly  fortified  convent,  and  a 
field  work,  or  tete  de  pont,  with  regular  bastions,  at  the  head  of 
the  bridge  over  which  the  road  passes  from  San  Antonio  to  the 
capitol. 

Churubusco  at  once  became  the  key-point  of  the  battle.  The 
whole  remaining  Mexican  forces,  about  27,000  Cavalry,  Artillery, 
and  Infantry,  drawn  from  every  quarter,  were  now  within  or  in 
supporting  distance  of  its  works,  resolved  to  make  a  last  and  des 
perate  stand.  For,  if  beaten  here,  the  feebler  defences  at  the 
gates  of  the  city,  four  miles  off,  would  not  delay  the  victors  one 
hour.  Gn  the  other  hand,  the  assaiiants,  though  in  number  less 
than  one-third  of  the  enemy,  were  resolved  to  carry  the  city  or 
obtain  an  instant  and  honorable  peace. 

A  combined  movement  was  at  once  ordered  both  against  the 
convent  and  tete  de  pont.  After  two  hours  hard  fighting,  the 
latter  was  carried  by  Worth's  and  Pillow's  divisions,  assisted  by 
Cadwalader's  brigade.  Half  an  hour  after,  the  convent  also  yield 
ed  to  the  gallant  Twiggs'  division  ;  and  the  formidable  post  of 
Churubusco  was  carried.  The  trophies  were  ten  field  pieces, 
1,453  prisoners,  three  of  whom  were  Generals,  and  a  number 
of  colors. 

Previous  to  the  attack  on  Churubusco,  Gen.  Shields,  with  two 
brigades,  had  been  sent  to  the  left  for  the  purpose  of  turning  the 
enemy's  works,  and  also  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  garrison  and 
to  oPP°se  the  extension  of  the  numerous  Mexican  corps,  from  the 
rear,  upon  and  around  the  American  left.  In  a  winding  march  of 
a  mile  to  effect  these  objects,  the  division  found  itself  in  the  pres 
ence  of  4,000  of  the  enemy's  Infantry,  supported  by  3,000  Cav 
alry,  near  the  San  Antonio  road.  A  battle  at  once  ensued  and 
continned  long ;  but,  ultimately,  success  again  crowned  the  efforts 
of  our  troops.  In  this  affair,  which  on  any  other  day  would  be 
classed  as  a  great  battle,  three  hundred  and  eighty  prisoners  were 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  663 

taken ;  and  it  cannot  be  doubted,  but,  that  occurring  as  it  did  im 
mediately  in  the  rear  of,  and  during  the  attack  on  Churubusco, 
this  gallant  contest  materially   aided    in   the  reduction  of  that 
place. 

As  soon  as  the  tete  de  pont  was  carried,  the  greater  part  of 
Worth's  and  Pillow's  men  crossed  the  bridge  in  rapid  pursuit  of 
the  flying  enemy.  Coming  up  with  Shields'  division,  now  also 
victorious,  the  whole  continued  to  press  the  fugitives  to  within  a 
mile  and  a  half  of  the  capitol.  Here,  Col.  Harney  with  a  small 
part  of  his  brigade  of  Cavalry,  rapidly  passing  to  the  front,  char 
ged  the  enemy  up  to  the  nearest  gate. 

After  so  many  victories,  and  alter  thus  reaching  the  very  gates, 
it  would  have  been  a  matter  of  little  difficulty  for  the  American 
General  to  pour  his  excited  and  victorious  troops  into  Mexico,  and 
to  have  added  that  only  remaining  triumph  to  the  glories  of  the 
day.  But,  fortunately  for  the  fair  fame  of  our  country  and  for 
the  honor  of  human  nature,  the  storming  and  sacking  of  a  popu 
lous  city  was  not  added  to  the  experience  of  the  American  soldier. 
Stopping  short  at  the  very  threshold  of  final  success,  the  troops 
were  halted,  and  cantoned  in  the  neighboring  villages,  where  they 
were  well  supplied  with  necessaries,  and  rested  during  the  night. 

On  the  morning  of  the  21st,  when  about  to  summon  the  place 
to  surrender,  a  flag  arrived  in  Gen.  Scott's  camp,  to  propose  a 
truce.  On  the  22nd,  commissioners  to  arrange  an  armistice,  were 
appointed  by  the  respective  commanders.  The  armistice  was  sign 
ed  on  the  23d,  and  on  the  24th  ratifications  were  exchanged. 

During  this  day  of  many  battles,  the  whole  Mexican  loss  was 
about  4,000  in  killed  and  wounded;  2,637  prisoners,  including 
eight  Generals  ;  thirty-seven  pieces  of  ordnance,  and  a  large  num 
ber  of  small  arms,  with  a  full  supply  of  ammunition  of  every  kind. 

Our  loss  was  14  officers  and  123  men  killed  ;  and  65  officers 
and  869  men  wounded,  and  40  missing ;  making  an  aggregate  of 
1,056. 


664  THE    MEXICAN   WAR.  [1S47. 


CHAPTER    XII. 
MOLING  DEL  REY. 

Term?  of  the  armistice— Its  violation— Resumption  of  hostilities— Molino  de!  Rey— Ene 
my's  position — Worth  ordered  to  attack  it— His  force  andorderof  attack— The  enemy's  cen 
tre  carried  by  Wright— Left  carried  by  Garland— Bloody  but  unsuccessful  attack  on  the  right 
by  Mclmosh— Right  finally  carried— Works  destroyed— Return  to  quarters— Loss  on  both 
sides. 

AFTER  the  unsuccessful  operations  of  the  19th  and  20th  of  Au 
gust,  the  American  head-quarters  were  at  Tacubaya,  a  village  a 
short  distance  on  the  southwest  of  the  capitol.  The  army  was 
cantoned  in  the  vicinity,  waiting  the  conclusion  of  a  general  peace 
by  the  plenipotentiaries  of  the  contending  powers  ;  for  which  pur 
pose  the  armistice  h'ad  been  granted. 

By  the  terms  of  the  armistice,  which  extended  to  the  distance 
of  thirty  leagues  from  the  capitol,  neither  party  was  to  erect  or 
repair  any  work  of  military  defence  or  offence,  within  that  limit ; 
nor  to  receive  any  reinforcement;  nor  advance  beyond  the  line 
occupied  by  it  at  the  date  of  the  armistice ;  nor  obstruct  the  re 
ception  of  supplies  by  the  other,  from  the  city  or  the  surrounding 
country;  and  all  American  prisoners  were  to  be  given  up  for  a 
like  number  of  Mexicans  of  equal  rank.  These  were  the  chief 
articles. 

These  terms  were  tolerably  well  observed  by  President  Santa 
Anna,  who  commanded  in  chief  in  the  city,  till  the  2nd  of  Sept., 
when  the  American  commissioner,  (N.  P.  Trist,  Esq.)  handed  in 
his  ultimatum,  demanding  a  large  cession  of  territory  from  Mexi 
co,  as  an  indemnity  for  the  claims  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
expenses  of  the  war.  Immediately  afterwards,  Santa  Anna,  with 
out  the  slightest  notice,  actively  commenced  strengthening  the  mil 
itary  defences  of  the  city,  in  gross  violation  of  the  armistice. 

On  the  6th,  Gen.  Scott  gave  notice  to  the  Mexican  President 
that,  unless  full  satisfaction  should  be  given  for  this  violation  of 
the  armistice,  by  noon  next  day,  hostilities  would  be  re-commen 
ced.  The  reply,  received  the  same  day,  not  being  at  all  satisfac 
tory,  measures  were  at  once  taken  to  resume  the  war,  and  press 
it  to  an  effectual  termination. 


1847.]  THE   MEXICAN   WAR.  665 

During  the  afternoon  of  the  7th,  a  large  body  of  the  enemy  was 
discovered  hovering  about  the  Molino  del  Rey,  a  post  a  mile  and 
one-third  north  of  Tacubaya,  and  a  short  distance  west  of  the 
strongly  fortified  height  of  Chapultepec.  This  place  contained  a 
cannon  foundry,  and  a  large  deposit  of  powder,  and  was  conse 
quently  of  great  importance  to  the  Mexicans.  Its  value  was  now 
increased  by  the  fact,  that  their  recent  loss  had  deprived  them  of 
sufficient  artillery  to  furnish  all  their  works  j  which  deficiency^  it 
was  said,  they  were  at  the  moment  endeavoring  to  supply,  by 
casting  a  large  number  of  church  bells  into  guns,  at  the  Molino. 

These  facts  rendered  it  easy  to  comprehend  the  enemy's  move 
ments  in  that  quarter,  and  caused  the  instant  determination,  by 
Gen.  Scott,  to  drive  him  from  the  post,  destroy  the  foundry,  and 
seize  the  powder. 

The  execution  of  this  operation  was  assigned  to  Gen.  Worth, 
whose  division  was  reinforced  by  Cadwalader's  brigade  of  Pillow's 
division,  three  squadrons  of  dragoons  under  Major  Sumner,  three 
field  pieces  of  artillery  under  Captain  Drum,  and  two  battering 
guns  under  Captain  Huger,  making  an  aggregate  force  of  3,10 
men. 

During  the  battle  which  ensued,  the  commander-in-chief  called 
to  the  aid  of  Worth,  from  their  distant  encampment,  Pierce's  brig 
ade  of  Pillow's  division,  and  Riley's  brigade  of  Tvviggs'.  These 
troops  hastened  with  spirit  to  the  scene  of  action ;  but  the  contest 
being  decided  by  Worth's  own  force  before  their  arrival,  no  fur 
ther  notice  will  be  taken  of  their  presence. 

The  enemy,  who  had  evidently  determined  to  defend  the  posi 
tion  to  the  utmost,  was  strongly  posted.  His  left  rested  upon,  and 
occupied  a  group  of  strong  stone  buildings,  called  EL  MOLINO  DEL 
REY,  adjoining  a  grove  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  of  CHAPULTEPEC 
and  directly  under  the  guns  of  the  castle  which  crowns  its  summit. 
The  right  of  his  line  reached  another  stone  building  called  CASA 
MATA,  situated  at  the  foot  of  a  ridge  that  slopes  gradually  from 
the  heights  above  the  village  of  Tacubaya  to  the  plain  below. 
Midway  between  these  buildings,  was  his  field  battery  ;  and  his 
Infantry  force  were  disposed  on  either  side  to  support  it ;  conse 
quently,  the  centre  was  the  weak  point,  and  the  flanks  the  strong 
ones,  the  left  being  stronger  than  the  right. 


666  THE  MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

Though  the  guns  of  the  enemy  formed  a  part  of  the  enemy's 
means  of  defence,  yet  arrangements  not  being  sufficiently  matured 
for  the  assault  of  that  formidable  height,  Gen.  Worth  was  ex 
pressly  instructed  not  to  attack  it,  or  attempt  its  capture.  All 
that  he  could  accomplish,  therefore,  with  regard  to  it,  was  to  iso 
late  the  work  to  be  accomplished  from  the  castle  and  its  defences 
as  much  as  possible ;  and  having  effected  the  object  of  the  expe 
dition,  viz  :  the  destruction  of  Molino  del  Key  and  the  material 
therein,  to  retire  to  his  position  at  Tacubaya. 

In  accomplishing  the  arduous  duty  assigned  him,  Gen.  Worth's 
dispositions  were  most  skilfully  and  beautifully  adopted.  Col. 
Garland's  brigade,  strengthened  by  two  of  Drum's  guns,  was 
placed  on  his  right  to  attack  MOLINO  DEL  REY,  and  oppose  any 
support  from  Chapultepec.  This  force  was  also  within  sustain 
ing  distance  of  the  main  assaulting  party,  and  the  battery  guns  of 
Huger  near  the  centre.  The  assaulting  party  ot  500  picked  men 
under  Major  Wright  of  the  8th  Infantry,  was  posted  on  the  ridge 
to  the  left  of  the  battery  guns,  to  force  the  enemy's  centre.  The 
second  brigade,  under  Colonel  Mclntosh,  with  Duncan's  battery, 
was  posted  on  the  left,  opposite  the  enemy's  right,  also  to  sustain 
the  assisting  column,  if  necessary,  or  to  act  as  circumstances 
might  require.  Cadwalader's  brigade  was  placed  in  reserve,  be 
tween  the  assaulting  column  and  Mclntosh's  brigade  ;  the  Cav 
alry,  under  Sumner,  being  placed  on  the  extreme  left- 

At  3  A.  M.,  of  the  8th  of  September,  the  several  columns  were 
put  in  motion  for  their  respective  stations;  and,  when  the  sun  rose, 
they  were  seen  as  accurately  in  position  as  if  placed  for  review. 

The  attack  commenced  by  the  opening  of  Huger's  guns  upon 
the  Molino.  Soon  after,  Wright's  assaulting  party  dashed  for 
ward  on  the  enemy's  centre,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  shower  of  bul 
lets,  captured  his  field  battery  ;  but  the  Mexicans  soon  perceiving 
the  smallness  of  the  number  by  which  they  had  been  driven  off, 
rallied,  and  aided  by  the  infantry  that  covered  the  house-tops,  pour 
ed  a  fire  upon  the  assailants  which  struck  down  eleven  out  of  the 
fourteen  officers  of  the  assaulting  party,  and  men  in  proportion. 
This,  for  a  moment  staggered  the  assailants  ;  but  the  light  bat- 
tallion  under  Capt.  Smith,  and  the  right  wing  of  Cadwalader's 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  667 

brigade,  being  ordered  to  their  support,  and  obeying  in  fine  style, 
this  point  of  the  line  was  again  carried  and  effectually  possessed 
by  our  troops. 

In  the  meantime,  Garland's  brigade  and  Drum's  artillery  as 
saulted  the  enemy's  left ;  and,  after  an  obstinate  and  severe  con 
test,  drove  him  from  his  apparently  impregnable  position,  un 
der  the  very  guns  of  the  castle  of  Chapultepec,  turning  his  own 
artillery  upon  his  retreating  forces  until  out  of  reach. 

While  the  centre  and  right  were  thus  engaged,  the  left  was  not 
idle.  Macintosh's  brigade  moved  steadily  up  to  the  attack  of 
Casa  Mata,  but  at  first  with  no  effect.  For,  instead  of  being  an 
ordinary  field  work,  as  was  supposed,  it  proved  to  be  a  stone  cit 
adel,  surrounded  with  bastioned  entrenchments  and  impassable 
ditches;  being,  in  fact,  an  old  strong  Spanish  work  recently  repair 
ed  and  enlarged.  A  continued  stream  of  the  most  deadly  fire  was 
kept  up  on  our  men,  who,  however,  advanced  up  to  the  very  slope 
of  the  parapet;  but  Col.  Mclntosh  and  Major  \Vaite  being  desper 
ately  wounded,  and  Col.  Scott  killed,  the  command  was  momen 
tarily  thrown  into  disorder,  and  fell  back  on  Duncan's  battery, 
where  they  soon  rallied.  This  battery  now  re-opening  on  the  Casa 
Mata,  after  a  short  and  well-directed  fire,  the  enemy  abandoned 
that  last  point,  and  their  own  guns  were  turned  upon  them  until 
out  of  range. 

While  the  fire  from  Casa  Masa  was  at  the  hottest,  a  strong 
force  of  Mexican  Cavalry  and  Infantry  were  seen  rapidly  advan 
cing  upon  the  American  left,  to  reinforce  that  point.  Upon  this 
force  a  most  destructive  fire  was  opened  by  Duncan's  battery, 
which  changed  ground  for  that  purpose,  and  scattered  and  drove 
them  back  in  disorder.  At  the  same  time  Major  Sumner's  Cav 
alry  also  moved  to  the  front  under  the  fire  of  Casa  Mata  and 
rendered  most  gallant  service. 

The  enemy  being  now  driven  from  every  point  in  the  field, 
Gen.  Worth,  in  fulfilment  of  his  instructions,  caused  Casa  Mata  \o 
be  blown  up,  and  the  caunon  moulds  in  Molino  del  Rey,  with  such 
of  the  captured  ammunition  as  was  useless,  to  be  destroyed.  After 
which,  with  three  captured  guns,  (a  fourth  being  spiked)  a  large 
quantity  of  small  arms  and  ammunition,  and  more  than  eight  hun 
dred  prisoners,  including  fifty-two  commissioned  officers,  he  return- 


668  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

ed  to  quarters;  the  whole  contest  having  been  concluded  in  two 
hours  and  a  half.  The  American  loss  was  severe,  nine  officers 
and  one  hundred  and  seven  men  being  killed,  and  forty-nine  offi 
cers  and  six  hundred  men  wonnded,  together  with  ten  men  missing, 
who  are  supposed  to  have  been  killed. 

The  Mexican  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  (including 
Generals  Valderez  and  Leon,  the  2nd  and  3rd  in  command)  was 
3,000.  Their  whole  force  exceeded  14,000  men,  commanded  by 
Gen.  Santa  Anna  in  person. 

This  was  one  of  the  most  scientific,  brilliant  and  well  fought  bat 
tles  of  the  whole  war  ;  and  justly  reflects  the  highest  credit  on  all 
engaged,  particularly  upon  the  gallant  and  now  lamented  Worth. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CHAPULTEPEC — THE  SURRENDER. 

Chapultepec — Bombardment— Pillow's  attack — Quitman's  advance  against  the  San  Cosnift 
and  Belen  gates— Progress  of  Worth  and  Quitman— Sui render  of  the  city— Loss  of  both 
parties — Puebla—  Huamamla — Atlixco — Peace. 

THE  battle  of  MOLINO  DEL  KEY  was  but  the  opening  scene  of 
the  storming  of  the  formidable  fortress  of  Chapultepec,  which,  in 
its  turn  became  indispensable  to  the  capture  of  the  city  itself.  This 
course  was  adopted  by  the  American  General,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  strong  net-work  of  defences  by  which  the  southern  gates 
were  guarded,  and  to  gain  a  less  unfavorable  approach  on  the  west. 
Concealing  his  design  carefully  from  the  enemy,  but  in  the  mean 
time  carrying  on  his  preparations,  it  was  not  till  the  night  of  the 
llth  of  September,  that  everything  was  ready  for  opening  the 
way  into  the  city,  by  carrying  the  intervening  height  of  Chapul 
tepec. 

This  was  a  daring  and  dangerous  enterprise.  The  place  was 
of  extraordinary  natural  strength,  and  its  great  importance,  as  a 
main  defence  of  the  capitol,  well  understood  by  the  enemy,  who 
had  exhausted  his  skill  and  lavished  all  his  means  to  render  it  im- 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  669 

pregnable.  It  consisted  of  a  natural  and  isolated  mound,  of  great 
elevation,  strongly  fortified  at  its  base,  and  on  its  acclivities,  and 
crowned  by  a  regular  castle  or  fortress.  Besides  a  numerous  gar 
rison,  it  contained  the  military  college  of  the  nation,  with  a  large 
number  of  sub-Lieutenants  and  other  students.  The  works  were 
within  gun-shot  of  Tacubaya,  and  until  carried,  no  approach  could 
be  made  to  the  city  on  the  west,  without  a  circuit  both  wide  and 
hazardous. 

Four  heavy  batteries,  within  easy  range,  having  been  estab- 

|   lished,  the  bombardment,  under  the  direction  of  Capt.  Huger,  was 

opened  early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th.     The  cannonade  was 

|   kept  up  during  the  day,  and  by  nightfall  considerable  impression 

had  been  made  on  the  works. 

During  this  time,  Twiggs,  with  Riley's  brigade,  and   a  field 
battery  of  12  pounders,  was  left  before  the  southern  gates,  to 
make  false  attacks,  and  thus  occupy  the  enemy's  attention.    The 
i    mano3uvre  had  its  full  and  desired  effect. 

In  readiness  for  the  assault,  Pillow's  division,  supported  by 

I  Worth,  and  Quitman's  by  Smith's  other  brigade  of  TwTiggs'  divis- 

J!  ion,  were  in  position.    Worth's  division  furnished  Pillow  with  an 

[I  assaulting  party  of  250  volunteers,  under  Capt.  McKenzie ;  and 

Twiggs  sent  a  similar  one  under  Capt.  Casey  to  Quitman. 

The  momentary  cessation  of  the  fire  from  the  heavy  batteries* 
I   which  was  the  signal  of  attack,  having  taken  place  at  8  o'clock 
jl   on  the  morning  of  the  13th,  both  colnmns  advanced  with  a  stea 
diness  and  alacrity  that  gave  certain  assurance  of  success.     The 
|   batteries,  seizing  every  opportunity,  threw  shot  and  shell  upon  the 
1   enemy  over  the  heads  of  the  assailants,  with  good  effect ;  partic 
ularly  at  every  attempt  by  the  enemy  to  reinforce  the  works  from 
:    without. 

Pillow's  approach  on  the  wes',  lay  through  a  grove  filled  with 

sharp-shooters,  who  were  speedily  dislodged ;  when,  being  up  with 

i   the  front  of  the  attack,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  rocky  acclivity,  the 

I   gallant  General  was  struck  wounded  to  the  ground.     The  com- 

|    mand  now  devolved  on  Cadwalader.     The  broken  acclivity  was 

;j   still  to  be  ascended,  and  a  strong  redoubt,  midway,  to  be  carried, 

before  attaining  the  castle  on  the  heights.     The  advance  of  our 


670  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

brave  men,  ]ed  by  brave  officers,  though  necessarily  slow,  was 
unwavering,  over  rocks,  chasms  and  mines,  and  under  the  hottest 
fire  of  cannon  and  musketry.  The  redoubt  now  yielding,  the 
shouts  that  followed,  announced  to  the  castle  its  impending  fate. 
The  enemy  were  steadily  driven  from  shelter  to  shelter,  the  pur 
suit  allowing  no  time  to  fire  a  single  mine,  without  the  certainty 
of  blowing  up  friend  with  foe.  At  length  the  ditch  and  the  wall 
of  the  main  work  was  reached  ;  the  scaling  ladders  were  planted 
by  the  stormers,  many  of  the  leaders  being  cast  down,  killed  or 
wounded  ,  but  a  lodgment  in  the  body  of  the  work  was  soon  made 
and  secured  by  hundreds  of  gallant  followers  ;  all  opposition  was 
overcome ;  and  several  regimental  colors  were  flung  out  from  the 
upper  works,  amid  long-continued  cheers,  which  announced  our 
triumph,  and  sent  dismay  into  the  heart  of  the  capitol.  No  scene 
could  have  been  more  animating  or  glorious. 

Simultaneously  with  this  movement  on  the  west,  Quitraan,  sup 
ported  by  Shields  and  Smith,  gallantly  approached  the  southeast 
of  the  same  works,  over  a  causeway  with  cuts  and  batteries,  and 
defended  by  an  army  strongly  posted  outside  of  the  fortifications 
of  the  height,  on  the  east.  These  formidable  obstacles  were  ne 
cessarily  faced  by  the  troops  with  little  shelter  or  space  for  ma- 
nosuvering.  Smith's  brigade  had  been  early  thrown  out  to  make 
a  sweep  to  the  right,  in  order  to  present  a  front  aganist  the  ene 
my's  outside  forces,  and  to  turn  two  intervening  batteries  near  the 
foot  of  Chapultepec  ;  and  also  to  support  Quitman's  storming 
parties,  both  now  on  the  causeway.  Capt.  Casey  being  early 
wounded,  the  command  of  the  first  devolved  on  Capt.  Paul  of  the 
7th  Infantry  ;  and  Major  Twiggs  of  the  Marines,  being  killed  at 
the  head  of  the  other,  the  lead  fell  upon  Capt.  Miller  of  the  2d  Pa. 
Volunteers.  Being  united  under  Capt.  Paul,  they  soon  carried 
the  batteries  in  the  road,  with  several  guns  and  many  prisoners, 
and  dispersed  the  enemy  placed  behind  them  in  support.  The 
New  York,  South  Carolina,  and  2nd  Pennsylvania  Volunteers, 
now  crossing  the  meadow  in  front  from  the  left,  under  a  heavy 
fire,  together  with  the  storming  party,  entered  the  outer  enclosure 
of  Chapultepec  just  in  time  to  join  thegeneral  assault  from  the  west. 

The  instant  the  height  was  carried,  the  troops  pressed  on  to 


1847.]  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  671 

occupy  the  capitol.  There  are  two  routes  thither  from  the  point 
now  gained.  The  one  on  the  route  entering  the  Belen  gate,  and 
the  other  obliquing  to  the  left,  passing  into  the  city  through  the 
San  Cosme  superb  and  gate.  Each  of  these  is  an  elevated  cause 
way,  presenting  a  double  roadway  on  the  sides  of  the  aqueduct, 
of  strong  and  high  masonry,  resting  upon  open  arches  and  high 
pillars. — The  sideways  on  both  aqueducts  are  defended  by  many 
strong  breastworks  at,  and  in  front  of  the  gates. 

Worth  and  Quitman  were  prompt  in  pursuing  the  retreating  en 
emy,  the  former  by  the  San  Cosme  acqueduct,  and  the  latter  by 
that  of  Belen,  Being  reinforced  during  the  day,  both  the  officers 
effected  a  lodgment ;  Worth  by  8  o'clock  P.  M.  was  in  the  San 
Cosme  suburb,  in  close  vicinity  to  the  great  square  of  the  city,  with 
only  the  defences  of  the  gate  intervening  ;  there,  by  orders  of  the 
Comrnander-in-Chief,  he  posted  guards  and  placed  his  command 
under  shelter  for  the  night.  The  intention  was,  in  the  morning, 
to  attack  the  gate  and  carry  the  city,  by  this  the  safest  and  most 
practicable  entrance. 

But  Quitman's  attack  on  the  Belen  gate,  which,  owing  to  the 
greater  strength  of  that  defence  and  on  the  citadel  just  within  it,  was 
intended  as  a  feint,  became,  by  the  impetuosity  of  that  officer  and 
his  supporters,  Shield  and  Smith,  converted  into  a  real  assault. — 
Continuing  to  press  forward  over  all  obstacles,  this  gallant  body 
of  troops,  first  carried  an  intermediate  body  of  two  guns,  and 
then  the  Belen  gate  itself ;  and  had  entered  the  city  before  2 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  This  unlocked  for  success,  however,  was 
not  achieved  without  severe  loss,  many  brave  officers  and  meH.hav_ 
ing  fallen,  among  whom  was  Capt.  Drum,  a  most  valuable  officer. 

Quitman,  now  within  the  city,  added  several  new  defences  to 
the  position  he  had  won,  and  sheltered  his  troops  during  the  night, 
as  well  as  practicable,  under  the  very  guns  of  the  Citadel,  ready 
to  renew  the  attack  in  the  morning. 

But  no  further  attack  was  required.  At  4  o'clock  A.  M.  of 
the  14th,  a  deputation  ofthe  Ayuntamiento,  or  city  council,  wait 
ed  on  the  American  General,  and  informed  him  that  the  whole  Go 
vernment  and  army  of  Mexico  had  fled  the  preceding  night.  Du 
ring  the  day,  the  city  was  surrounded  at  discretion,  and  Gen 


672  THE    MEXICAN    WAR.  [1847. 

Quitraan  proceeding  to  the  P/aza,  hoisted  the  United  States  col 
ors  on  the  National  Palace,  Worth  being  ordered  to  halt  at  the 
Alameda.  For  twenty-four  hours  after  the  entry  of  the  American 
troops,  they  were  occasionally  fired  on  from  windows  and  house 
tops,  by  some  liberated  convicts  and  disbanded  soldiers ;  but  prompt 
measures  being  adopted,  this  annoyance  soon  ceased. 

The  Mexican  loss  on  the  12th,  13th  and  14th,  in  killed  and 
wounded  was  very  severe  ;  his  whole  force  of  20,000  was  dis 
banded  and  broken  up,  and  all  his  guns  and  stores  taken. 

The  American  loss  was  also  large  in  proportion  to  the  number 
of  effective  men  (7,180)  engaged  ;  the  killed  being  10  officers  and 
120  men  ;  and  the  wounded,  68  officers  and  636  men  ;  29  were 
missing. 

After  the  fall  of  the  capitol,  few  events  of  military  interest 
occurred.  The  small  garrison  of  Puebla  sustained  and  repelled  a 
close  and  continued  siege  of  25  days,  against  8,000  Mexicans, 
under  Santa  Anna.  In  this  siege,  Lieut.  Col.  Black  of  the  1st  Pa. 
volunteers  greatly  distinguished  himself.  Gen.  Lane  on  the  9th 
of  October,  with  a  small  force,  defeated  the  same  leader  at  the 
head  of  4,000  men  at  Huamantla.  On  the  19th  of  October  he 
also  defeated  Gen.  Rea,  with  a  strong  force  at  Atlixco. 

On  the  2nd  of  Feb.  1848,  a  general  treaty  of  Peace,  friendship, 
limits  and  settlements  was  concluded  at  the  city  of  Gaudaloupe 
Hidalgo,  which  was  subsequently  duly  ratified  by  both  govern 
ments.  Its  terms  are  well  known  and  need  not  be  repeated  here. 

What  may  be  the  effects  of  the  acquisition  of  this  war  upon  our 
country,  is  now  impossible  to  foretell.  But  in  the  Jact  that  in 
acquiring  territory,  we  have  brought  few  unwilling  foreigners 
under  our  flag,  it  will  probably  be  tound  that  a  main  element  of 
mischief  has  been  escaped.  Should  we  ever  conquer  men  as  well 
as  territory,  our  union  and  peace  may  indeed  be  endangered. 


674  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


PART  VII. 
THE  CALAMITIES  OF  WAR. 


"  From  mortal  eyes  dark  vapours  snatch  the  sun ; 

Fires  flash ;  the  kindred  elements  rebel ; 
All  heaven  burns  black,  and,  smouldering,  shows  more  dun 
E'en  than  the  horrible  obscure  of  hell : 
Mid  showers  of  hail,  the  long,  loud  thunders  yell ; 
Fields  float ;  the  leas  are  drowned ;  not  boughs  alone 

Crash  in  the  rushing  blast's  sonorous  swell, 
But  oaks,  rocks,  hills  to  their  foundation-stone, 
Quake  to  the  roaring  storm,  or  in  the  whirlwind  groan. 

TASSO. 

IP  the  patriot  fails,  he  is  pronounced  a  rebel — if  the  tyrant 
succeeds,  he  is  a  hero ;  the  splendour  of  his  achievements 
dazzles  the  world,  and  hides  his  sins — the  victories  alone  are 
contemplated,  while  all  that  long  train  of  miseries,  always 
following  war,  is  soon  buried  in  oblivion. 

We  will  turn  back,  for  a  moment,  to  where  we  see  king 
doms,  empires,  and  republics,  emerge  from  the  clouds  of  an 
tiquity — sail  down  the  stream  of  time,  and  gather,  along  its 
banks,  a  few  facts  in  confirmation  of  our  position. 

"  Behold  the  ruins  of  the  cities  of  the  Nile,"  said  Arbaces ; 
(t  their  greatness  hath  perished — they  sleep  amid  ruins — their 
palaces  and  shrines  are  tombs — the  serpent  coils  in  the  grass 
of  their  streets — the  lizard  basks  in  their  solitary  halls." 
But,  before  these  palaces  and  shrines  became  tombs — before 
the  serpent  coiled  in  the  grass  of  their  streets,  and  the  lizard 
basked  in  their  solitary  halls,  see  where  the  hostile  armies 
approach ;  mark  the  tumult  and  confusion  of  the  men,  the 
shrieking,  wailing  and  lamentations  of  women  and  children ; 
witness  the  horrors  of  battle — turn  your  eyes  to  the  gushing 
streams  of  blood — hark !  the  groans  of  the  dying — look  upon 
the  sublime,  yet  terrific  sight,  of  the  flames  rolling  over  the 
cities  like  the  billows  of  an  ocean  of  fire ;  and  where,  in  its 
wake,  dark  ruin  stalks  in  all  its  hideousness. 


THE   CALAMITIES   OP    WAR.  675 

The  Grecian  States,  once  so  renowned  for  their  arts,  arms, 
poetry,  and  philosophy,  while  an  admiring  world  was  gazing 
on  them  in  astonishment,  began  to  shed  the  life-blood  of  each 
other,  and  fell  prostrate  into  the  insatiable  hands  of  foreign 
powers.  But  what  terror  and  dismay,  what  struggles,  what 
anguish  of  body  and  of  mind,  were  endured  before  these  tra 
gic  scenes  were  enacted ;  before  her  numerous  colonies  were 
subdued ;  before  her  powerful  fleet  was  overcome ;  before  her 
ample  fortifications  were  battered  down ;  before  her  splendid 
edifices  were  defaced — destroyed;  before  her  magnificent 
temples  fell,  to  become  immortal  in  their  ruins;  before  her 
exquisite  statues  lay  in  time-honoured  fragments ;  what  ter 
rible  commotions  were  felt  throughout  the  land  !  Could  we 
now  hear  all  the  tumultuous  uproar  of  those  battles ;  could 
we  now  see  all  the  blood :  could  we  now  hear  all  the  groans 
and  shrieks ;  could  we  now  feel  the  pains  and  terrors  occa 
sioned  by  all  this  ruin  and  desolation,  how  strongly  would  we 
support  that  harmony  wrhich  the  present  age  is  beginning  to 
teach ! 

Carthage,  the  commercial  emporium  of  the  world — the 
abode  of  the  wealth  of  nations — supports  a  siege  until  famine 
and  despair  rage  throughout  the  city.  Now  the  flames  rise 
in  awful  sublimity  to  the  sky — roll  like  burning  mountains 
over  the  city,  sink  in  a  sea  of  fire,  from  which  dark  ruin  rises 
to  unfurl  his  flag  in  triumph.  But  before  the  Carthaginians 
leave  their  homes,  and  the  homes  of  their  fathers,  what  la 
mentations,  and  shrieks,  and  howlings,  are  heard  !  Thunder 
struck  with  the  dreadful  necessity,  they  roll  in  the  dust,  they 
rend  their  clothes,  they  vent  their  grief  in  deep  sighs  and 
groans — implore  for  mercy — call  down  upon  their  enemies  the 
wrath  of  the  avenging  gods,  but  all  without  effect. 

Go  to  the  coast  of  Africa  now,  and  ask,  with  stentorian 
voice,  where  are  the  ruins  of  Carthage ;  and  echo  will  answer, 
"  where?"  Ask  the  historians  of  the  Punic  wars  the  cause  of 
this  direful  calamity,  and  they  will  tell  you :  "  Behold  the  ter 
rors  and  awful  calamities  of  fiendish  wars." 

From  a  few  cottages  on  the  Tiber,  Rome  increased  in  power 
and  splendour — a  kingdom — a  republic — an  empire.  Her 
bloody  hands  grasped  and  held  a  world  in  subjection.  The 
wealth  of  plundered  nations  flowed  into  her  treasury ;  and 
while  the  ill-gotten  treasures  increased  her  magnificence,  it 
also  increased  the  hatred  of  her  enemies,  and  the  discord 
among  her  own  people.  Honour,  principle,  and  every  tie  that 
adorns  the  human  heart,  were  often  sacrificed  in  the  struggle 
for  power.  By  manifesting  her  want  of  sympathy  for  others, 


676  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


she  acknowledged  her  utter  worthlessness  of  receiving 
and,  after  rolling  over  the  world  her  desolating  wars,  the 
world  at  length  rolled  them  back  again.  The  barbarians  of 
the  north  pour  in  with  an  irresistible  power  and  overwhelm 
the  western  empire.  The  disciples  of  Mahomet  burst  like  an 
ocean  on  the  eastern  Roman  empire,  sweeping  away  every 
obstacle  placed  in  their  way,  and  rule  triumphant. 

Rome  originated  in  discord,  increased  in  discord,  attained 
to  her  height  of  glory  in  discord,  and  fell  in  discord. 

But  before  that  mighty  city  was  built,  what  rivers  of  blood 
were  made  to  flow  to  obtain  the  means ;  before  a  world  was 
conquered  and  plundered,  what  dreadful  groans,  and  wailings 
and  lamentations  were  heard  throughout  that  world !  Before 
every  principle  of  honour,  and  every  tie  of  the  human  heart, 
was  sacrificed,  in  her  struggle  for  power,  what  fierce  passion 
created  a  hell  within  the  heart ;  before  her  tide  of  desolation 
flowed  over  a  world,  to  ebb  upon  herself  again,  how  many 
millions  of  men  were  overwhelmed  in  the  ruinous  tide  !  how 
many  thousand  cities,  the  labour  of  centuries,  were  reduced 
to  shapeless  masses  of  ruins,  by  the  torch  of  the  despoiler ! 
How  many  millions  of  widowed  mothers,  disconsolate  daugh 
ters  and  sisters,  were  distracted  by  the  loss  of  their  natural 
protectors,  and  by  the  indignities  offered  by  a  rude,  heartless 
mercenary  soldiery ! 

"  Oh,  Rome !  my  country  !  city  of  the  soul ! 

The  orphans  of  the  heart  must  turn  to  thee, 
L«>ne  mother  of  dead  empires  !  and  control, 
In  their  shut  breasts,  their  pithy  misery. 
What  are  our  woes  and  sufferance?    Come  and  see 
The  cypress,  hear  the  owl,  and  plod  your  way 

O'er  steps  of  broken  thrones  and  temples,  ye, 
Whose  agonies  are  evils  of  a  day — 
A  world  is  at  our  feet  as  fragile  as  our  clay. 

The  Niobe  of  nations !  there  she  stands, 

Childless  and  crownless,  in  her  voiceless  woe, 
An  empty  urn  within  her  witherd  hands, 

Whose  holy  dust  was  scatter'd  long  ago ; 

The  Scipios'  tornb  contains  no  ashes  now; 
The  very  sepulchres  lie  tenantless 

Of  their  heroic  dwellers  :  dost  thou  flow, 
Old  Tiber !  through  a  marble  wilderness  ? 
Rise,  with  thy  yellow  waves,  and  mantle  her  distress. 

The  Goth,  the  Christian,  time,  war,  flood,  and  fire, 

Have  dealt  upon  the  seven-hill'd  city's  pride; 
She  saw  her  glories  star  by  star  expire, 

And  up  the  steep  barbarian  monarchs  ride, 


THE    CALAMITIES   OF    WAR.  677 


Where  the  car  climb'd  the  capitol ;  far  and  wide 
Temple  and  tower  went  down,  nor  left  a  site. 

Chaos  of  ruins !  who  shall  trace  the  void, 
O'er  the  dim  fragments  cast  a  lunar  light, 
And  say,  *  here  was,  or  is,'  where  all  is  doubly  night  ?" 

Again.  Peter  the  Hermit,  hurrying  from  court  to  court,  in 
Europe,  and  from  castle  to  castle,  and  from  city  to  city,  set 
ting  forth  the  importance  of  taking  possession  of  the  holiest 
places,  by  rescuing  them  from  the  hands  of  a  merciless  and 
infidel  foe,  now  at  Jerusalem.  Hear  him  appeal  to  the  religion 
of  one  sovereign,  to  the  fears  of  another,  and  to  the  spirit  of 
chivalry  of  them  all.  See  thousands  devoting  themselves 
blindly  to  the  service  of  God,  as  they  imagined,  by  engaging 
in  the  Crusades.  Now  mark  three  hundred  thousand  men, 
women  and  children,  marching  on  to  a  foreign  land,  without 
order,  where  they  nearly  all  miserably  perish  by  war,  and  its 
natural  attendants,  under  such  circumstances,  pestilence  and 
famine ! — Such  a  scene  of  horrors  no  language  could  paint — 
such  terrors  and  sufferings  no  imagination  can  grasp ;  and 
yet  this  was  but  a  small  part  of  the  calamities  of  the  Cru 
sades,  which  were  attended  with  no  good  results. 

"  'Tis  uproar  all ;  like  tipsy  bacchanals 

The  crowd  to  arms  precipitately  spring ; 
And  now  are  heard  fierce  cries,  seditious  calls, 

Shields  clash,  hoarse  trumpets  stern  defiance  fling." 

The  dread  tocsin  is  sounded,  and  the  infuriated  populace 
of  Paris  rush  through  the  streets  like  fiends.  War  spreads 
its  horrors ;  all  is  terror  and  confusion.  The  blood  of  many 
flows  through  the  streets  of  the  capitol — human  heads  are 
carried  in  trmmph  through  the  streets  on  bayonets. — Kings 
league  against  the  people  who  would  be  free,  and  desolating 
wars  spread  over  Europe — armies  invade  every  country — 
every  family  feels  the  dreadful  effects  of  war,  and  many 
gloomy  years  pass  away  before  the  kings  of  Europe  succeed 
in  re-establishing  their  divine  right. 

"  Stop ! — For  thy  tread  is  on  an  empire's  dust ! 
An  earthquake's  spoil  is  sepulchred  below ! 
Is  the  spot  mark'd  with  no  colossal  bust  ? 
Nor  column  trophied  for  triumphal  show  ? 
None ;  but  the  moral's  truth  tells  simpler  so, 
As  the  ground  was  before,  thus  let  it  be ; — 

How  that  red  rain  hath  made  the  harvest  grow ! 
And  is  this  all  the  world  has  gain'd  by  thee, 
Thou  first  and  last  of  fields !  king-making  victory "? 


678  THE    ARMY    A^D    NAVY. 


And  Harold  stands  upon  this  place  of  skulls, 

The  grave  of  France,  the  deadly  Waterloo ; 
How  in  an  hour  the  power  which  gave  annuls 

Its  gifts,  transferring  fame  as  fleeting  too  ! 

In  'pride  of  place'  here  last  the  eagle  flew, 
Then  tore,  with  bloody  talon,  the  rent  plain, 

Pierced  hy  the  shaft  of  banded  nations  through  ; 
Ambition's  life  and  labours  all  were  vain  ; 
He  wears  the  shatter' d  links  of  the  world's  broken  chain. 

Fit  retribution  !  Gaul  may  champ  the  bit, 

And  foam  in  fetters ; — but  is  earth  more  free  ? 
Did  nations  combat  to  make  one  submit ; 

Or  league  to  teach  all  kings  true  sovereignty  ? 

What !  shall  reviving  thraldom  again  be 
The  patch'd-up  idol  of  enlighten'd  days? 

Shall  we,  who  struck  the  Lion  down,  shall  we 
Pay  the  WTolf  homage  ?  proffering  lowly  gaze, 
And  servile  knees  to  thrones  ]  No ;  prove  before  ye  praise  !" 

After  all  our  search  through  large  libraries  for  information 
— after  all  our  study  and  long  reflections  on  the  battles  of  va 
rious  ages  and  countries,  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
we  cannot  give  our  readers  so  rich  a  mental  treat,  as  by  lay 
ing  before  them  the  following  miseries  of  war,  by  the  late 
illustrious  Channing: 

"  In  detailing  the  miseries  and  crimes  of  war,  there  is  no 
temptation  to  recur  to  unreal  or  exaggerated  horrors.  No 
depth  of  colouring  can  approach  reality.  It  is  lamentable, 
that  we  need  a  delineation  of  the  calamities  of  war,  to  rouse 
us  to  exertion.  The  mere  idea  of  human  beings  employing 
every  power  and  faculty  in  the  work  of  mutual  destruction, 
ought  to  send  a  shuddering  through  the  frame.  But,  on  this 
subject,  our  sensibilities  are  dreadfully  sluggish  and  dead. 
Our  ordinary  sympathies  seem  to  forsake  us  when  war  is 
named.  The  sufferings  and  death  of  a  single  fellow  being 
often  excite  a  tender  and  active  compassion ;  but  we  hear, 
without  emotion,  of  thousands  enduring  every  variety  of  woe 
in  war.  A  single  murder  in  peace  thrills  through  our  frames. 
The  countless  murders  of  war  are  heard  as  an  amusing  tale. 
The  execution  of  a  criminal  depresses  the  mind,  and  philan 
thropy  is  labouring  to  substitute  milder  punishments  for  death. 
But  benevolence  has  hardly  made  an  effort  to  snatch  from 
sudden  and  untimely  death  the  innumerable  victims  immo 
lated  on  the  altar  of  war.  This  insensibility  demands,  that 
the  miseries  and  crimes  of  war  should  be  placed  before  us 
with  minuteness,  with  energy,  with  strong  and  indignant 
feeling. 

"  The  miseries  of  war  may  be  easily  conceived  from  its 


THE    CALAMITIES    OF    WAK. 


679 


very  nature.  By  war,  we  understand  the  resort  of  nations 
to  force,  violence,  and  the  most  dreaded  methods  of  destruc 
tion  and  devastation.  In  war,  the  strength,  skill,  courage, 
energy,  and  resources  of  a  whole  people,  are  concentrated  for 
the  infliction  of  pain  and  death.  The  bowels  of  the  earth  are 
explored,  the  most  active  elements  combined,  the  resources  of 
art  and  nature  exhausted,  to  increase  the  power  of  man  in 
destroying  his  fellow-creatures. 

"  Would  you  learn  what  destruction  man,  when  thus  aided, 
can  spread  around  him '?  Look  then  at  that  extensive  region, 
desolate  and  overspread  with  ruins ;  its  forests  rent,  as  if 
blasted  by  lightning ;  its  villages  prostrated,  as  by  an  earth 
quake  ;  its  fields  barren,  as  if  swept  by  storms.  Not  long  ago, 
the  sun  shone  on  no  happier  spot.  But  ravaging  armies 
prowled  over  it ;  war  frowned  on  it ;  and  its  fruitfulness  and 
happiness  are  fled.  Here  thousands  and  ten  thousands  were 
gathered  from  distant  provinces,  not  to  embrace  as  brethren, 
but  to  renounce  the  tie  of  brotherhood ;  and  thousands,  in 
the  vigour  of  life,  when  least  prepared  for  death,  were  hewn 
down  and  scattered  like  chaff  before  the  whirlwind. 

"  Repair,  my  friends,  in  thought,  to  a  field  of  recent  battle. 
Here  are  heaps  of  slain,  weltering  in  their  own  blood,  their 
bodies  mangled,  their  limbs  shattered,  and  almost  every  ves 
tige  of  the  human  form  and  countenance  destroyed.  Here 
are  multitudes  trodden  under  foot,  and  the  war-horse  has  left 
the  trace  of  his  hoof  in  many  a  crushed  and  mutilated  frame. 
Here  are  severer  sufferers ;  they  live,  but  live  without  hope 
or  consolation.  Justice  despatches  the  criminal  with  a  single 
stroke ;  but  the  victims  of  war,  falling  by  casual,  undirected 
blows,  often  expire  in  lingering  agony,  their  deep  groans  mov 
ing  no  compassion,  their  limbs  writhing  on  the  earth  with 
pain,  their  lips  parched  with  burning  thirst,  their  wounds 
open  to  the  chilling  air,  the  memory  of  home  rushing  on  their 
minds,  but  not  a  voice  of  friendship  or  comfort  reaching  their 
ears.  Amidst  this  scene  of  horrors,  you  see  the  bird  and 
beast  of  prey  gorging  themselves  with  the  dead  or  dying,  and 
human  plunderers  rifling  the  warm  and  almost  palpitating 
remains  of  the  slain.  If  you  extend  your  eye  beyond  the 
immediate  field  of  battle,  and  follow  the  track  of  the  victori 
ous  and  pursuing  army,  you  see  the  roads  strewed  with  the 
dead ;  you  see  scattered  flocks,  and  harvests  trampled  under 
foot,  the  smoking  ruins  of  cottages,  and  the  miserable  inha 
bitants  flying  in  want  and  despair;  and  even  yet,  the  horrors 
of  a  single  battle  are  not  exhausted.  Some  of  the  deepest 
pangs  which  it  inflicts,  are  silent,  retired,  enduring,  to  be  read 


680  THE    ARMY    AND    NAVY. 


in  the  widow's  countenance,  in  the  unprotected  orphan,  in 
the  aged  parent,  in  affection  cherishing  the  memory  of  the 
slain,  and  weeping  that  it  could  not  minister  to  their  last 
pangs. 

"  I  have  asked  you  to  traverse,  in  thought,  a  field  of  battle. 
There  is  another  scene  often  presented  in  war,  perhaps  more 
terrible.  I  refer  to  a  besieged  city.  The  most  horrible  pages 
in  history,  are  those  which  record  the  reduction  of  strongly 
fortified  places.  In  a  besieged  city5  are  collected  all  descrip 
tions  and  ages  of  mankind,  women,  children,  the  old,  the  in 
firm.  Day  and  night,  the  weapons  of  death  and  conflagration 
fly  around  them.  They  see  the  approaches  of  the  foe,  the 
trembling  bulwark,  and  the  fainting  strength  of  their  defend 
ers.  They  are  worn  with  famine,  and  on  famine  presses  pes 
tilence.  At  length  the  assault  is  made,  every  barrier  is  broken 
down,  and  a  lawless  soldiery,  exasperated  by  resistance,  and 
burning  with  lust  and  cruelty,  are  scattered  through  the 
streets.  The  domestic  retreat  is  violated ;  and  even  the  house 
of  God  is  no  longer  a  sanctuary.  Venerable  age  is  no  pro 
tection,  female  purity  no  defence.  Is  woman  spared  amidst 
the  slaughter  of  father,  brother,  husband,  and  son  ? — she  is 
spared  for  a  fate,  which  makes  death,  in  comparison,  a  merci 
ful  doom.  With  such  heart-rending  scenes,  history  abounds  ; 
and  what  better  fruits  can  you  expect  from  war  ? 

"  These  views  are  the  most  obvious  and  striking  which  war 
presents.  There  are  more  secret  influences,  appealing  less 
powerfully  to  the  senses  and  imagination,  but  deeply  affecting 
to  a  reflecting  and  benevolent  mind. — Consider,  first,  the  con 
dition  of  those  who  are  immediately  engaged  in  war.  The 
sufferings  of  soldiers  from  battle  we  have  seen ;  but  their  suf 
ferings  are  not  limited  to  the  period  of  conflict.  The  whole 
of  war  is  a  succession  of  exposures  too  severe  for  human  na 
ture.  Death  employs  other  weapons  than  the  sword.  It  is 
computed  that,  in  ordinary  wars,  greater  numbers  perish  by 
sickness  than  in  battle.  Exhausted  by  long  and  rapid  marches, 
by  unwholesome  food,  by  exposure  to  storms,  by  excessive 
labour  under  a  burning  sky  through  the  day,  and  by  inter 
rupted  and  restless  sleep  on  the  damp  ground  and  in  the  chill 
ing  atmosphere  of  night,  thousands  after  thousands  of  the 
young  pine  away  and  die.  They  anticipated  that  they  should 
fall,  if  to  fall  should  be  their  lot,  in  what  they  called  the  field 
of  honour ;  but  they  perish  in  the  inglorious  and  crowded 
hospital,  surrounded  with  sights  and  sounds  of  woe,  far  from 
home  and  every  friend,  and  denied  those  tender  offices  which 
u  smkneRs  and  expiring  nature  require. 


THE    CALAMITIES    OF    WAR.  681 

*«  Consider,  next,  the  influence  of  war  on  the  character  of 
those  who  make  it  their  trade.  They  let  themselves  for 
slaughter,  place  themselves  instruments,  passive  machines,  in 
the  hands  of  rulers,  to  execute  the  bloodiest  mandates,  with 
out  a  thought  on  the  justice  of  the  cause  in  which  they  are 
engaged.  What  a  school  is  this  for  the  human  character ! 
From  men  trained  in  battle  to  ferocity,  accustomed  to  the 
perpetration  of  cruel  deeds,  accustomed  to  take  human  life 
without  sorrow  or  remorse,  habituated  to  esteem  an  unthink 
ing  courage  a  substitute  for  every  virtue,  encouraged  by 
plunder  to  prodigality,  taught  improvidence  by  perpetual 
hazard  and  exposure,  restrained  only  by  an  iron  discipline, 
which  is  withdrawn  in  peace,  unfitted  by  the  restless  and  ir 
regular  career  of  war  for  the  calm  and  uniform  pursuits  of 
ordinary  life ;  from  such  men,  what  ought  to  be  expected  but 
contempt  of  human  rights  and  of  the  laws  of  God?  From 
the  nature  of  his  calling,  the  soldier  is  almost  driven  to  sport 
with  the  thought  of  death,  to  defy  and  deride  it,  and,  of 
course,  to  banish.*the  thought  of  that  retribution  to  which  it 
leads ;  and  though  of  all  men  the  most  exposed  to  sudden 
death,  he  is  too  often  of  all  men  most  unprepared  to  appear 
before  his  Judge. 

"  The  influence  of  war  on  the  community  at  large,  on  its 
prosperity,  its  morals,  and  its  political  institutions,  though 
less  striking  than  on  the  soldiery,  is  yet  baleful.  How  often 
is  a  community  impoverished  to  sustain  a  war  in  which  it  has 
no  interest !  Public  burdens  are  aggravated,  whilst  the  means 
of  sustaining  them  are  reduced.  Internal  improvements  are 
neglected.  The  revenue  of  the  state  is  exhausted  in  military 
establishments,  or  flows  through  secret  channels  into  the  cof 
fers  of  corrupt  men,  whom  war  exalts  to  power  and  office. 
The  regular  employments  of  peace  are  disturbed.  Industry 
in  many  of  its  branches  is  suspended.  The  labourer,  ground 
with  want,  and  driven  to  despair  by  the  clamour  of  his  suf 
fering  family,  becomes  a  soldier  in  a  cause  which  he  con 
demns,  and  thus  the  country  is  drained  of  its  most  effective 
population.  The  people  are  stripped  and  reduced,  whilst  the 
authors  of  war  retrench  not  a  comfort,  and  often  fatten  on 
the  spoils  and  woes  of  their  country. 

"  The  influence  of  war  on  the  morals  of  society  is  also  to 
be  deprecated.  The  suspension  of  industry  multiplies  want ; 
and  criminal  modes  of  subsistence  are  the  resource  of  much 
suffering.  Commerce,  shackled  and  endangered,  loses  its  up 
right  and  honourable  character,  and  becomes  a  system  of  stra 
tagem  and  collusion.  Ii>  war,  the  moral  sentiments  of  a  com- 


682  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


munity  are  perverted  by  the  admiration  of  military  exploits. 
The  milder  virtues  of  Christianity  are  eclipsed  by  the  baleful 
lustre  thrown  round  a  ferocious  courage.  The  disinterested, 
the  benignant,  the  merciful,  the  forgiving,  those  whom  Jesus 
has  pronounced  blessed  and  honourable,  must  give  place  to 
the  hero,  whose  character  is  stained  not  only  with  blood,  but 
sometimes  with  the  foulest  vices,  but  all  whose  stains  are 
washed  away  by  victory.  War  especially  injures  the  moral 
feelings  of  a  people,  by  making  human  nature  cheap  in  their 
estimation,  and  human  life  of  as  little  worth  as  that  of  an 
insect  or  a  brute. 

"  War  diffuses  through  a  community  unfriendly  and  malig 
nant  passions.  Nations,  exasperated  by  mutual  injuries,  burn 
for  each  other's  humiliation  and  ruin.  They  delight  to  hear 
that  famine,  pestilence,  want,  defeat,  and  the  most  dreadful 
scourges  which  Providence  sends  on  a  guilty  world,  are  deso 
lating  a  hostile  community.  The  slaughter  of  thousands  of 
fellow-beings,  instead  of  awaking  pity,  flushes  them  with  de 
lirious  joy,  illuminates  the  city,  and  dissolves  the  whole 
country  in  revelry  and  riot.  Thus  the  heart  of  man  is  hard 
ened.  His  worst  passions  are  nourished.  He  renounces  the 
bonds  and  sympathies  of  humanity.  Were  the  prayers,  or 
rather  the  curses,  of  warring  nations  prevalent  in  heaven,  the 
whole  earth  would  long  since  have  become  a  desert.  The 
human  race,  with  all  their  labours  and  improvements,  would 
have  perished  under  the  sentence  of  universal  extermination, 

"  But  war  not  only  assails  the  prosperity  and  morals  of  a 
community ;  its  influence  on  the  political  condition  is  threat 
ening.  It  arms  government  with  a  dangerous  patronage,  mul 
tiplies  dependants  and  instruments  of  oppression,  and  gene 
rates  a  power,  which,  in  the  hands  of  the  energetic  and  aspir 
ing,  endangers  a  free  constitution.  War  organizes  a  body  of 
men,  who  lose  the  feelings  of  the  citizen  in  the  soldier ;  whose 
habits  detach  them  from  the  community ;  whose  ruling  pas 
sion  is  devotion  to  a  chief;  who  are  inured,  in  the  camp,  to 
despotic  sway ;  who  are  accustomed  to  accomplish  their  ends 
by  force,  and  to  sport  with  the  rights  and  happiness  of  their 
fellow-beings ;  who  delight  in  tumult,  adventure,  and  peril ; 
and  turn  with  disgust  and  scorn  from  the  quiet  labours  of 
peace.  Is  it  wonderful,  that  such  protectors  of  a  state  should 
look  with  contempt  on  the  weakness  of  the  protected,  and 
should  lend  themselves  base  instruments  to  the  subversion  of 
that  freedom  which  they  do  not  themselves  enjoy  ?  In  a  com 
munity,  in  which  precedence  is  given  to  the  military  profes 
sion,  freedom  cannot  long  endure.  The  encroachments  of 


THE    CALAMITIES   OP    WAR.  683 


power  at  home  are  expiated  by  foreign  triumphs.  The  essen 
tial  interests  and  rights  of  the  state  are  sacrificed  to  a  false 
and  fatal  glory.  Its  intelligence  and  vigour,  instead  of  pre 
senting  a  bulwark  to  domestic  usurpation,  are  expended  in 
military  achievements.  Its  most  active  and  aspiring  citizens 
rush  to  the  army,  and  become  subservient  to  the  power  which 
dispenses  honour.  The  nation  is  victorious,  but  the  recom 
pense  of  its  toils  is  a  yoke  as  galling  as  that  which  it  imposes 
on  other  communities. 

"  Thus,  war  is  to  be  ranked  among  the  most  dreadful  cala 
mities  which  fall  on  a  guilty  world ;  and,  what  deserves  con 
sideration,  it  tends  to  multiply  and  perpetuate  itself  without 
end.  It  feeds  and  grows  on  the  blood  which  it  sheds.  The 
passions,  from  which  it  springs,  gain  strength  and  fury  from 
indulgence.  The  successful  nation,  flushed  by  victory,  pants 
for  new  laurels ;  whilst  the  humbled  nation,  irritated  by  de 
feat,  is  impatient  to  redeem  its  honour  and  repair  its  losses. 
Peace  becomes  a  truce,  a  feverish  repose,  a  respite  to  sharpen 
anew  the  sword,  and  to  prepare  for  future  struggles.  Under 
professions  of  friendship,  lurk  hatred  and  distrust ;  and  a 
spark  suffices  to  renew  the  mighty  conflagration.  When  from 
these  causes,  large  military  establishments  are  formed,  and  a 
military  spirit  kindled,  war  becomes  a  necessary  part  of  policy 
A  foreign  field  must  be  found  for  the  energies  and  passions  of 
a  martial  people.  To  disband  a  numerous  and  veteran  sol 
diery,  would  be  to  let  loose  a  dangerous  horde  on  society. 
The  bloodhounds  must  be  sent  forth  on  other  communities, 
lest  they  rend  the  bosom  of  their  own  country.  Thus  war 
extends  and  multiplies  itself.  No  sooner  is  one  storm  scat 
tered,  than  the  sky  is  darkened  with  the  gathering  horrors  of 
another.  Accordingly,  war  has  been  the  mournful  legacy  of 
every  generation  to  that  which  succeeds  it.  Every  age  has 
had  its  conflicts ;  every  country  has  in  turn  been  the  seat  of 
devastation  and  slaughter.  The  dearest  interests  and  rights 
of  every  nation  have  been  again  and  again  committed  to  the 
hazards  of  a  game,  of  all  others  the  most  uncertain,  and  in 
which,  from  its  very  nature,  success  too  often  attends  on  the 
fiercest  courage  and  the  basest  fraud. 

"  Such,  my  friends,  is  an  unexaggerated,  and  I  will  add,  a 
faint  delineation  of  the  miseries  of  war ;  and  to  all  these  mise 
ries  and  crimes  the  human  race  have  been  continually  exposed, 
for  no  worthier  cause,  than  to  enlarge  an  empire  already  tot 
tering  under  its  unwieldy  weight,  to  extend  an  iron  despotism, 
to  support  some  idle  pretension,  to  repel  some  unreal  or  exag 
gerated  injury.  For  no  worthier  cause,  human  blood  has  been 


684  THE    ARMY    AND   NAVY. 


poured  out  as  water,  and  millions  of  rational  and  immortal 
beings  have  been  driven  like  sheep  to  the  field  of  slaughter." 

"Wreathe  the  laurel- 
Fill  the  cup,  the  banners  wave ! 
Champions  of  a  kingdom's  quarrel 

Wait  the  honours  due  the  brave. 
Give  rich  gifts — a  robe  of  honour, 

Power  and  place  to  him  who  led — 
For  a  nation  is  the  donor — 

Feed  him  with  its  orphans'  bread! 
Strew  the  streets  with  fragrant  blossoms, 

Through  them  drag  the  hero's  car; 
Late  he  trod  o'er  bleeding  bosoms, 

On  the  crimson' d  plains  of  war. 
Ye  whose  children,  fathers,  brothers, 

Pave  his  fields,  be  ye  its  steeds ; 
Widow'd  wives  and  childless  mothers, 

Shout  ye  as  the  chariot  speeds! 

Let  each  lip  be  curved  with  pleasure — 

Let  each  eye  beam  bright  with  glee : 
What  are  tears,  and  blood,  and  treasure, 

Poised  against  a  victory  ? 
When  a  nation's  ear,  astounded, 

With  triumphant  paeans  rings, 
What  are  thousands  kill'd  and  wounded? 

Men  were  made  to  dio  for  kings! 
What  though  (ields,  late  rich  with  culture, 

Are  by  war's  sirocco  scathed  ? 
What  though  carrion-seeking  vulture 

In  a  sea  of  gore  hath  bathed  ? 
Blot  such  trifles  from  the  story 

Of  renown  so  nobly  gain'd ; 
Still  must  bud  the  tree  of  glory, 

Though  its  roots  with  blood  be  stain'd! 

Build  a  temple  to  Ambition, 

Base  it  on  an  empire's  wreck ; 
Ye  who  bow  in  meek  submission  ^ 

At  a  sceptred  despot's  beck, 
Search  earth's  bosom  for  the  alaughter'd, 

And  with  bones  that  there  lie  hid 
Of  the  millions  it  has  martyr'd, 

Pile  the  ghastly  pyramid ! 
From  the  days  when  Northern  Alric 

On  the  Roman  eagles  trod 
To  the  era — more  chivalrie — 

Of  the  Gallic  Demigod- 
Could  the  harvest  of  '  the  sleepers1 

From  Death's  garner  be  restored, 
We  should  find  his  mightiest  reapers 

Were  the  battle-axe  and  sword  i 

But  the  victors ! — they  whose  madness 

Made  the  world  a  type  of  hell, 
Was  it  theirs  in  peace  and  gladness, 

Mid  the  wreck  they  made,  to  dwell  ? 
Ask  the  walls  where  Sweden's  monarch 

Mourn' d  Pultowa's  overthrow  ; 
Ask  the  rock  of  Gallia's  Anarch; 

Hark!  their  echoes  thunder — 'No!' 
Conquest'^^prd  is  only  glorious 

When  tnW»od  with  which  it  streams 
(Ransom  of  a  land  victorious) 

Nature's  charter'd  right  redeems." 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


27Nov'59FK 


NOV251959 


LD  21A-50m-4,'59 
(A1724slO)476B 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


(  'fTST 


N 


THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


